Two sisters, one from Maldon and the other from Ipswich, who behaved "outrageously" during a late-night fight in Chelmsford city centre were today ordered to carry out unpaid work and pay compensation to their victims.
Iva Rowland, 46, of Washington Road, Maldon, and Audrey Gilkes, 38, of Ravenswood Avenue, Ipswich, assaulted two young women outside the Fancy Fry take-away in Baddow Road at 3.00 am on 6 January this year.
Today at Chelmsford Magistrates Court both women pleaded guilty to assault.
Unemployed Rowland admitted assaulting Marie Beeton and Gilkes, a mother of three, to assaulting Hannah Joslin.
They were each made the subject of 12-month community orders and must carry out 60 hours unpaid work. They were also each ordered to pay their respective victim £150 compensation each.
Gilkes, who works in Colchester, was additionally ordered to pay £260 costs.
Chairman of the bench Anne Everitt told them: "This was in a public place where other people can be upset and frightened by violent activity. It was outrageous behaviour in the middle of the night."
She added: "They were nasty assaults and regardless of whatever provocation, verbal argument is not an excuse to start physically assaulting somebody."
The court heard that an incident started in Fancy Fry and didn't at first involve the sisters. A group of boys were abusive to other girls and Miss Joslin went to their rescue. Someone threw a plate of chips and sauce over her and staff tried to get her to leave.
Rowland and Gilkes intervened saying "Just leave" and then the altercation spilled outside.
CCTV footage played to the court showed Miss Beeton push Rowland who then grabbed her by her hair and pulled her to the floor.
The footage also showed the other two women fighting.
Mitigating, Sean Minnihan, told the : "It was a scuffle that got out of hand. The ladies had nothing to do with each other that night. It was only this altercation which started in Fancy Fry. There was an element of provocation which led up to this."
The court was told that after the incident Miss Joslin suffered pain to her head and ribs and had a small graze to an arm. Miss Beeton had a cut to her upper lip and cheek.
Both defendants also had superficial injuries.
