A woman in Britain has been found guilty of making a racist taunt after she called her Kiwi neighbour an "Australian" during a domestic dispute.

Czech-born Petra Mills, 31, told Chelsea O'Reilly she was a "stupid fat Australian b----" during a heated argument outside their homes on September 4.

"Because of my accent, there can be some confusion over my nationality. She knew I was from New Zealand," Ms O'Reilly said.

The dispute began when Mills and her husband were having a domestic incident in their home and Ms O'Reilly called the police.

Ms O'Reilly said she could hear banging and drilling noises coming from their home.

Officers were interviewing Ms O'Reilly outside her home to understand what had occurred when Mills stormed over.

Two police officers, who witnessed the tirade, told the court that they heard Mills call Ms O'Reilly an "Australian".

Mills then kicked one of the officers in the shin and knee, which she later admitted in court. But she denied she was being racist.

"I did not use the word 'Australian'. I used to live with an Australian person. She was very nice."

But chairman of the bench, Brian Donohue, said: "You were in an emotional and inebriated state. The word 'Australian' was used. It was racially aggravated and the main reason it was used was in hostility."

Mills denied the charge of racially aggravated public disorder but was found guilty and fined $175.

She was also fined $318 for aggravating the police officer. She was also ordered to pay Ms O'Reilly and the police officer $80 each, and also $797 in court costs.

Mills and her husband moved to Scotland after the incident.

Source: Fairfax, Daily Mail
Author: Bernadette Chua, Approving Editor: Henri Paget