In a misguided attempt to defend her sister's honour a woman from Helston became a "vigilante" by beating up a group of young teenagers said to have been bullying her.

As a result, Gemma Lee Nichols, has ended up being electronically tagged for eight weeks and with a court bill of £270.

Magistrates in Truro heard that it followed a post on Facebook that resulted in her sister getting bullied.

Nichols, aged 20, pleaded guilty to four charges of assault by beating and asked for two further incidents, of assault not by beating, to be taken into consideration.

Prosecutor Anita Kennett said: "Gemma took it upon herself to have some of vigilante period of meting out justice, perhaps, for her sister."

On May 21 she assaulted two of the youths in a car park in Porthleven, punching one of them on the forehead causing swelling. The other youth she sat on.

Then, in the early hours of June 19, Nichols was in Coinagehall Street, Helston, saw two more of her victims in the street after they were asked to leave a licensed premise. One she punched in the nose, causing it to bleed, striking the other in the face.

Her two final victims were not beaten, but she shouted at them and was "in their face," according to Mrs Kennett.

Nichols had previous convictions, including assault.

Probation officer Max Holgate said Nichols had been co-operative throughout their interview, but struggled to understand some things.

She was not working and received disability benefit for anxiety and depression, having been the victim of domestic violence in a previous relationship.

"She says she feels sad and that she could have handled it in a different way. She is protective to her younger sister getting bullied," said Mr Holgate.

Deborah Von Kohler, defending Nichols, said: "I would suggest [it was] not so much vigilante, but trying to protect her sister but going about it the wrong way. She is only 20 years old but is formally diagnosed with depression, which I suggest is quite tragic when you're so young."

Magistrates ordered Nichols to pay £50 compensation to two of her victims that were injured, along with £85 prosecution and £85 surcharge.

The court was given an address for her in Trengrouse Way, although the 7pm to 7am, seven days a week curfew with electronic tagging will be linked to her partner's house in Beacon Parc where she now lives.

Nichols was also given a restraining order banning her from the grounds and buildings of Helston Community College for 12 months.

Finally, she must take part in a 12-month community penalty, during which she will take part in 25 days of rehabilitation programmes including ten sessions of the Beyond Violence programme aimed specifically at women and another involving victim awareness.