A Southampton woman this morning admitted slapping a co-worker who she claimed started false rumours about her.Diane Smith, 21, pleaded guilty in Magistrates’ Court to one count of common assault following an incident that took place last month.The court heard that on February 9, the supermarket packer followed a fellow employee outside and confronted her, pulling her hair and slapping her before being pulled away.Explaining her actions, Smith told the court: “The reason I hit her is she was going around giving false information.”Asked by Senior Magistrate Archibald Warner if she thought that gave her the right to hit the complainant, Smith said: “Yes.”Duty counsel Leo Mills told the court the rumours allegedly started by the complainant were particularly unsavoury, but Mr Warner said that based on the defendant’s statement that she believed that assaulting others was justified.He ordered a social inquiry report be carried out on Smith, releasing her on $2,000 bail with a like surety.