HEADTEACHER Maran White, who is accused of slapping a colleague around the face in a row over paperwork, has told a court that the other teacher was a stressed, anxious person who couldn't cope with the changing pace of teaching.

Mrs White, 51, of Croft Road, Swindon, who denies assault, told Devizes magistrates that she had never raised even her voice to fellow teacher Anne Williams.

She said that Mrs Williams had made up the allegation, and nothing of the sort occurred.

Mrs White, who has been headteacher at Swindon's Robert le Kyng Primary School for four years, took the stand in her own defence on the second day of her trial.

She told the court: "When Mrs Williams came into my office in the morning she was white-faced and shaking with rage.

"She was brandishing two pieces of paper and launched into a diatribe about how she always met deadlines.

"I was quite alarmed by her behaviour, so I moved away and sat down, attempting to defuse the situation, and I agreed that she did always meet deadlines."

Mrs White said the two then discussed Mrs Williams' attitude to younger members of staff, and Mrs Williams seemed to cool down.

Mrs White said: "She seemed to be a bit calmer, but then she said 'I have crossed the rubicon with you'. I didn't know what the word rubicon meant, and I certainly didn't know what she was talking about, so I stayed quiet.

"I was nonplussed, so I said nothing and smiled, hoping to calm her down. She said 'you smile, but I can smile too' and then she left.

"I was concerned at how angry she seemed to be, but then I heard her greeting another teacher in a very cheery way, which seemed odd."

It wasn't until later in the day that another teacher told Mrs White about Mrs Williams' allegation, she said.

Speaking to WPC Sharon Rosier in her police interview, Mrs White said she had been a little concerned about Mrs Williams, because she thought she was having a difficult time adapting to the raft of new government measures for teachers.

Mrs White has been suspended on full pay from her job since July 2002, as soon as the police summonsed her for common assault.

The trial continues.