A man whose wife poured hot water on him during a row over a cup of tea watched as she entered the dock on Friday, June 19.

Unemployed Barbara Doherty, 60, of Oakhill Crescent, Surbiton, pleaded guilty on a previous appearance to assaulting her husband Michael Doherty, causing him actual bodily harm.

During Friday’s hearing at Kingston Magistrates’ Court, magistrates heard how the couple had been together “all their lives” and both had drinking problems as well as degenerative diseases.

Prosecutor John Shepherd described how she poured boiling hot liquid down her husband's back on April 22 after he asked: “Where’s my cup of tea?”

Defence barrister John Middlehurst told the court she had no short-term memory because of her drinking, which could not be reversed if she stopped.

As a result, he said sentencing her to something that required regular appointments was setting her up to fail.

He recommended a curfew order to lead magistrate David Sims but the case was adjourned until July 10 so a doctor’s report could be gathered.

She was granted unconditional bail and left the court with her husband.