A teacher who was hit in the head with a cricket bat by her fiancé’s ex sobbed in court yesterday as she told how the woman had “abused” her for four years.Tara Burchall broke down in tears after Audrey Swainson admitted a charge of common assault before Magistrate Khamisi Tokunbo.The court heard how Swainson, 30, went to Elton Robinson’s home at Loyalty Estate, Sandys, on May 24 last year and “became abusive” as soon as she saw Ms Burchall.Crown counsel Susan Mulligan said Swainson who was with her and Mr Robinson’s seven-year-old son was asked to leave but didn’t and instead picked up a cricket bat belonging to the child.Ms Mulligan said the defendant swung the bat and hit Ms Burchall, 36, on the right side of her head, before running out. She later told police she “only tapped” Ms Burchall with the bat.Defence lawyer Shade Subair said her client had a clean record and should be given a conditional discharge for what was a “domestic dispute that ought not to have escalated this far”.“There is certainly a difference from taking a full size bat and using a certain amount of force and taking a child’s mini bat and tapping,” she said. “It’s a child’s bat; it did not cause any bodily harm.”But Ms Burchall later told Mr Tokunbo: “I went out of work for three weeks. My jaw became unaligned because of the bruising. I still suffer from headaches.”Ms Subair said Swainson, of Portland Lane, Sandys, came to court “humiliated” and was otherwise of “impeccable character”.“Unfortunately, there was a verbal exchange between the two women. It was back and forth between the two of them.”Ms Burchall cried in the public gallery as Ms Subair spoke and stood up afterwards to ask for permission to speak.She said she and Mr Robinson, 35, had been best friends since childhood and got engaged four years ago, after going out for three weeks. “We knew we were meant to be,” she said.But she said ever since she had been harassed by his ex Swainson and eventually had to take out a restraining order.“On my first encounter with Ms Swainson she damaged my car. I stood there while she slandered my name. I’m a schoolteacher. I had to compose myself with the utmost dignity.“She slapped my fiancé in the face again and again. For four years, she has been the elephant in the room. I can’t tell you how many times I have been to Southside Police Station [about her].”Ms Burchall said Swainson telephoned her mother, found out where she worked and bullied her relentlessly.“Every time we have had words, I have had to be the lady and compose myself,” she said. “For four years, I have been under emotional distress, emotional disdain. She has been abusive to me for four years too long.”Ms Burchall told Mr Tokunbo: “I don’t want revenge. I don’t want to see her locked up. All I ask is please let her know the severity of her actions. I’m so tired.”Mr Tokunbo asked if Mr Robinson was in court. After being told he wasn’t, the Magistrate said: “This is common. Women fighting over a man and the man never comes to court.“Women doing dumb things over a man and they end up in court and he’s somewhere else. You all need to stop.”He ordered a social inquiry report on Swainson and adjourned sentencing until March 10.