AN AYRSHIRE woman who starred in a controversial fly-on-the-wall TV documentary was thumped by her sister in a Cumnock brawl that a lawyer said was “like two children fighting over sweeties”.

Dayna McLaughlan, who appeared in the BAFTA-winning BBC series The Scheme, was smacked by her sister Joanne during a bust-up over property.

Joanne McLaughan was ordered to keep her nose clean for six months when she appeared at Ayr Sheriff Court.

The 37-year-old had previously pleaded guilty to assaulting her sister by seizing her by the hair and striking her on the head.

The incident, which happened in Cumnock’s Wylie Crescent on July 20 last year, was captured on doorbell CCTV footage.

The court’s procurator fiscal depute said: “At 7.41pm on July 20, 2023, the witness was in her front garden when there was an altercation with the accused. 

"The accused had accused the witness of having something belonging to her. 

"She denied this and tried walking away when the accused grabbed her hair and hitting her to the head.

"Ms [Joanne] McLaughlan then walked away. There was no injury, but an ambulance was called due to a sore head.

"The incident was captured on CCTV. The accused was later cautioned and charged and made no reply." 

Defence solicitor John Gallagher asked Sheriff Mhairi MacTaggart if she knew of the complainer, and the judge replied: “I do.”

Mr Gallagher said: "Having seen the Ring doorbell footage, it was akin to two children fighting over sweeties.

"Peace has broken out between the sisters at the moment, but they are forever falling out." 

Sheriff MacTaggart deferred sentence until September and ordered McLaughlan, of McCall Avenue, Cumnock, to be of good behaviour.

The Scheme, broadcast in 2010, followed the lives of six families in the Onthank and Knockinlaw housing schemes in Kilmarnock.

But it attracted praise and criticism in equal measure, with some labelling it “poverty porn” and claiming that it gave a misleading impression of life in the two areas and exploited many of those who appeared on screen - accusations denied by the programme's makers.

It was chosen as the winner of the ‘best factual series’ prize at the 2011 BAFTA Scotland awards.