Accused US astronaut says sorry

Capt Nowak took part in a space shuttle mission in 2006

A former US astronaut has told the love rival she is accused of trying to kidnap that she is sorry for frightening her in any way.

Lisa Nowak, 44, made the comments in court as her legal bid to be freed from her GPS monitoring device was deferred.

Capt Nowak allegedly drove hundreds of miles in February wearing nappies to confront her ex-boyfriend's new lover, Captain Colleen Shipman.

She denies charges of attempted kidnapping, assault and burglary.

Capt Nowak, now a navy pilot, is accused of attacking Capt Shipman, the new girlfriend of shuttle pilot William Oefelein, with capsicum spray and trying to jump into her car.

There are chunks of the interview, if not large portions, where I'm actually the one being interviewed by her [Capt Nowak] Detective William Becton

Both women were in court, the first time they had since each other since the alleged incident which sparked huge media attention.

Capt Nowak was seeking to be allowed to remove the GPS monitoring device which a judge ruled she must wear to ensure she stays away from Capt Shipman.

Capt Nowak said: "The past six months have been very difficult for me, my family and others close to me.

"I know that it must have also been very hard for Colleen Shipman, and I would like her to know how very sorry I am about having frightened her in any way and about the subsequent public harassment that has besieged all of us."

Capt Nowak's lawyers had to persuade the judge to force Capt Shipman to testify in court.

Explaining that she felt safer knowing Capt Nowak was wearing a tracking device, Capt Shipman said: "When I'm all alone and there's nobody with me, it's a comfort."

In court in Orlando, the mother-of-three said her ankle-mounted monitoring device was uncomfortable and bulky and caused "abrasions" on her legs. She pledged to follow a court order to stay away from Capt Shipman.

Sleep deprivation

Capt Nowak also asked the court to throw out statements she said were obtained illegally.

Her lawyer has said the statements were made under duress after she was held for three hours and deprived of sleep.

Moreover, they have disputed claims - which have become the source of much mirth in the US media - that Capt Nowak wore nappies to avoid requiring toilet stops during her long drive.

It is claimed by her defence team that the nappies were left in the car after a hurricane evacuation some time ago.

However Orlando police detective William Becton offered a different perspective on the way subsequent statements were obtained.

He said: "I realized I was dealing with somebody who was more intelligent than I was, more educated.

"I was having a very difficult time gaining any information from her."

He added: "There are chunks of the interview, if not large portions, where I'm actually the one being interviewed by her."

Weapons including a steel mallet and a knife were found in her car when she arrived at Orlando International Airport in Florida, police say, after she allegedly drove 1,000 miles (1,600km) from Houston, Texas.

A judge decide a further hearing was needed to determine rulings on the issues raised and take a decision on whether to remove the monitoring device.