The pair cut their way into the naval base last September

But defendant Dr Margaret Jones, from Bristol, told District Judge David Purcell at Plymouth Magistrates Court on Friday: "Do you think I will actually do this?"

She maintained she had already carried out community service by her actions.

The judge warned Jones she could be brought back to court and dealt with in some other way.

When the judge ordered her to pay �164 costs, she told the court: "I do not intend to make any financial restitution."

The judge ordered the destruction of cutters and a hammer used in the offence.

Before sentence Jones said: "The whole court proceedings have represented me as some kind of vandal."

She said she had not cut fences at nuclear and other military bases for mere hooliganism.

At the earlier hearing on 1 April, the court was told Jones and county borough councillor for Caerphilly Ray Davies used bolt cutters to get into HM Naval Base, Devonport, Plymouth.

'Moral right'

The pair, members of the anti-nuclear protest group Trident Ploughshares, told the court they had a moral and legal right to disarm HMS Tireless.

They both denied a charge of causing criminal damage to four chain link fences belonging to the Ministry of Defence causing �575.75 damage.

Captain John Binns, captain of base safety at Devonport, told the court HMS Tireless was not capable of carrying or firing a ballistic missile and did not carry weapons.

He said nuclear weapons were never allowed into Devonport.