A WOMAN got into a punch-up in Southend High Street after a man groped her, a court heard.

Rebecca Earey, 27, was caught on CCTV taking part in a Saturday-night brawl outside the Royal Hotel.

At an earlier hearing, it was claimed Earey’s victim had grabbed her and this prompted her male friend to get into the argument in the first place.

Earey was initially seen to be the “peacemaker” as she tried to break up an argument between the two men.

But after trying to break them up, she then waded in by throwing several punches.

Another friend, Charlie Gay, joined her as they pushed him up against a shop window and threw more punches at him.

Recorder David Owen-Jones, sitting at Southend Crown Court, said: “I accept whole-heartedly on July 23 you started off as the peacemaker and it may well be that, as you said in your letter to me, it was because he was harassing you and you told him to go away, and that may well be the case.

“But you thereafter resorted to some form of aggravated behaviour.”

Both Earey, 27, of Leicester Road, Tilbury, and Gay, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to a public order offence.

Gay was given a 12-month community order, must complete 50 hours unpaid work and pay costs of £85.

But Earey was treated more seriously because she had breached a suspended sentence imposed in March 2010 for another public order offence.

This was for the part she played following a mass brawl at a pub in Purfleet.

Earey handed up a note to the judge to explain the situation and her personal circumstances.

Recorder Owen-Jones added: “You seem to be getting into trouble regularly through street disturbances, whether it’s being in the wrong place at the wrong time or because of alcohol I know not.

“But this is the third or fourth occasion on which you have been involved in activities of this kind.”

He decided against sending her to prison. Instead, Earey was given a 12-month community order and 100 hours of unpaid work.