A “DIMINUTIVE” woman hit a man in the face with a glass during a dancefloor dispute.

Blackburn magistrates saw CCTV footage of the incident in the Firepit restaurant in Rawtenstall and told Louise Brown they recognised there had been considerable provocation.

They also saw CCTV footage from outside the venue which showed Brown being attacked and knocked to the floor by the victim and his two male friends.

Brown, 27, of Market Street, Bacup, pleaded guilty to assaulting Gary Love causing him actual bodily harm.

Beth Pilling, prosecuting, played the CCTV footage to the magistrates which showed two men on the dancefloor, one holding the other in a fireman’s lift and spinning him round.

Brown, who had been on the dancefloor with a female friend, appeared to be remonstrating with the two men when Mr Love approached. All three men then surrounded Brown.

She threw a drink in the face of one of them and then hit Mr Love with the empty glass.

Miss Pilling said the incident happened on December 22 and the victim claimed it had ruined his Christmas. He suffered a cut above his left eye which left a scar.

Philip Turner, defending, said his client was dancing and causing no trouble for anyone when one of the aggrieved’s friends started swinging another round in a fireman’s lift and a foot narrowly missed her face.

“She went over, quite reasonably, to say 'watch it' and instead of saying sorry they started to abuse her,” said Mr Turner.

“Mr Love, for reasons best known to him came from nowhere and joined in. She was surrounded by three men who were clearly not trying to reconcile the situation.

“She says she is disappointed with herself for allowing them to push her that far."

He said the three men followed his client out of the venue and she distanced herself from them while she waited for her friend.

“All three then attacked her and Mr Love was at the front,” said Mr Turner.

“She was pushed to the floor and jumped or stamped on and only the intervention of two women and a taxi driver ended the attack.”

Brown was sentenced to 23 weeks in prison suspended for 12 months, made subject to a community order. Magistrates said the sentence reflected the provocation.