Councillor Penny Jackman crowdfunding for UKIP slap legal bill Published duration 1 December 2015

image copyright GoFundMe image caption A court ruled that Mrs Jackman did not act in self defence when she slapped Mike Beggs

A Conservative councillor who slapped a UKIP candidate, breaking his dental bridge, is crowdfunding to cover more than £90,000 in expenses.

Penny Jackman, who represents Pennington ward on New Forest District Council, was sued by Mike Beggs following the incident in 2012.

Mrs Jackman has been ordered to pay £14,992 damages and to cover Mr Beggs' legal bill, expected to exceed £80,000.

The GoFundMe fundraising page has raised £275 in its first five days.

'Not wealthy'

The incident, in 2012, was reported to have begun as an argument about UKIP election leaflets.

Mrs Jackman, who lives in Pennington, said last month a judge ruled she did not act in self defence.

"As yet [there is] no timescale of when I will actually have to pay the money, but sooner rather than later would be my guess," she wrote on her online appeal page.

"We live in a modest two- bedroom home, there would not be enough left over to buy another home and stay in the same area. My husband is a postman, we are not wealthy people."