A MOTHER whose daughter's boyfriend was jailed this week for cutting the brakes on her car said she was not looking for revenge.

Debbie Beaupre spoke after William Berry was sentenced to three years in prison for the potentially lethal attack. The 21-year-old was going out with her 16-year-old daughter Nikita.

Mrs Beaupre, 43, of Pottery Piece, Blackbird Leys, Oxford, said: "It is not about me getting revenge. As a parent, I feel this lad has issues and I hope he gets the help he needs. It frightened me and I am extremely nervous about using the car."

John Denniss, prosecuting, told Oxford Crown Court that Berry cut the brakes of Mrs Beaupre's car because he blamed her for stirring up trouble between them.

Mr Denniss said Mrs Beaupre heard a metal clunk noise outside her house at midnight on January 19.

He said: "She looked out of her bedroom window and saw and recognised the defendant by her car. The next morning Mrs Beaupre tried to drive her car. She was able to reverse it and then went forward, but in doing so, she lost all braking power as her foot pedal ceased to work."

Mechanics discovered sabotage to the car the brake pipe had been cut and called the police. Mrs Beaupre went to the defendant's house in Blackbird Leys Road, Oxford, and Berry admitted the offence and offered to pay £150.17p for the damage, said Mr Denniss. The court was told that when Berry was arrested he said he was suffering memory loss because he had been sniffing petrol.

Christopher McCarraher, defending, said Berry had no previous convictions. He said: "This is a man of good character. It is quite plain in meeting Mr Berry that he had some serious difficulties in his early years."

Judge Bruce McIntyre told Berry, who admitted causing criminal damage with intent to endanger life, that cutting the brake cable was "spiteful".