STARTING a fight outside a County Durham court has cost a woman £150.

Demi Elizabeth Foster admitting assaulting another woman outside Newton Aycliffe Magistrates’ Court on November 15 last year after the pair started staring at each other.

Foster, 20, of High Lands in Cockfield was back at the court on Friday (April 12) where magistrates ordered her to pay £50 compensation to her victim, £40 costs and £60 victim surcharge.

She was also given a nine month community order with supervision.

Prosecutor Penny Bottomley said Foster had attended court on November 15 to support a friend in their case.

As they left, she made eye contact with a woman standing outside, and after an exchange of words Foster punched her, the court heard.

The two women started fighting with the victim pulling out clumps of Foster’s hair, the court heard.

Sam Brewster in mitigation said Foster did not know her victim and said his client accepts she went too far.

He said: “Miss Foster accepts striking the first blow, but she would say it was a fair fight after that.”