A mother whose daughter's boyfriend was jailed yesterday for cutting the brakes on her car says she is not looking for revenge.

Debbie Beaupre spoke to the Oxford Mail last night after William Berry was given three years for the potentially lethal attack.

The 21-year-old was going out with her 16-year-old daughter.

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 is not the just the damage he has done to my vehicle but how this affects me personally.

"People who do things like this don't realise what they put the victim through.

"It frightened me and I am extremely nervous about using the car. I feel like my property has been violated."

The mother of two said the attack had left her fearful about what could have happened.

She said: "There are children playing in the street all the time and I could have ended up killing one of them and then I wouldn't have lived with myself.

"I am angry that I can't claim the money back for my car. I am a single parent on income support and I saved long and hard to get that car."

She now plans to move house.

Oxford Crown Court heard yesterday that Berry cut the brakes of Mrs Beaupre's car because he blamed her for 'stirring up trouble' between him and his girlfriend.

John Denniss, prosecuting, said Mrs Beaupre heard a metal 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 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 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 sentenced Berry, who admitted causing criminal damage with intent to endanger life, to three years in prison. He told him: "Clearly what you did put her life and the lives of others at risk. She could have been killed herself or could have killed or injured other road users."