Two young women who attacked a homeless man on a Carlisle street overacted when their victim threatened them with a knife, a court heard.

Trainee beauty therapist Elle Callaghan, 28, and her 19-year-old friend Shanie Phillipson both admitted common assault when they appeared before magistrates - but both insisted their violence was a response to the victim producing a Stanley knife.

Pam Ward, prosecuting at Carlisle's Rickergate court, said victim Lucien Iliescu was in Botchergate at 6.30pm on September 17, when he saw a young woman and an older woman with a man. The man punched another man with a beard and then ran off.

After seeing this, Mr Iliescu approached the younger woman, who reacted by punching him multiple times to his head and face.

As he lay on the ground, he was kicked, he said, adding that he was attacked by the two young women, not the older woman he saw earlier. The whole attack on him lasted about 10 minutes, he said.

CCTV images of the incident showed a group of people arguing, and a scuffle. The man with the beard was then hit by a young man who ran away.

It was after this that the camera captured the violence involving the defendants.

Mr Ward said the images – not shown in court – showed Phillipson pushing Mr Iliescu and then striking him multiple times as he tried to walk away. Callaghan then intervened, grabbing him to stop him getting away.

As he fell to the floor, she then twice kicked him.

Tariq Khwam, for Callaghan, of Pennine Way, Harraby, said Mr Iliescu approached his client and grabbed hold of her.

“He approached them and actually assaulted Miss Phillipson,” said the lawyer, saying the victim's producing a knife was clear provocation.

“But she is ashamed of her actions,” added Mr Khwam.

John Smith, for Phllipson, of Mount Pleasant Road, Currock, said: “She says she was attacked by a man with a knife; and she reacted to that.”

There was no dispute that the victim had first attacked Miss Phillipson, said the lawyer.

“He grabs hold of her and she starts off by acting reasonably in self-defence because she is being attacked.

“She pushes him away and then punches him and he produces a knife, but she carries on punching him.”

The lawyer accepted that his client had used what in law is regarded as an excess of self-defence.

He added: “It happened in the heat of the moment after this man produced a knife.”

Magistrates accepted there had been provocation from the victim and therefore awarded him no compensation.

Callaghan was given an eight week 7pm to 7am curfew, with an £85 victim surcharge and £85 costs.

Phillipson was given a 12 month community order, with 60 hours of unpaid work, and costs of £85 and a victim surcharge for the same amount.