Three men went looking for a "pervert" who followed a woman when she walked home at night through a Witham graveyard.

But Jason Stevens picked the wrong man, punching and kicking him, Chelmsford magistrates heard.

Of previous good character, Stevens, 26, a building labourer of Maltings Lane, Witham, admitted assault causing actual bodily harm to Keith Pavitt on May 31.

Magistrates accepted he acted impulsively and imposed 140 hours community service. He was ordered to pay £300 compensation and £50 court costs.

Mrs Jenny Portway, prosecuting, said the woman arrived at the address where Stevens was with others and said she had tried to hide in St Nicholas churchyard when a man followed her home.

Stevens and others went in search of the man and saw Mr Pavitt walking towards Powers Hall End. Mr Pavitt did not understand when Stevens said: "You are the pervert who has been chasing a woman around the churchyard."

Stevens ignored Mr Pavitt's protests who was punched to the pavement and kicked. He finally escaped bleeding from a head wound but was later attacked again by Stevens. The two men with Stevens pulled him off saying he had the wrong man.

Stevens told police he had been drinking and lost his temper after hearing of the woman's plight.

Jeremy Guy, mitigating, said Stevens acted in a moment of madness and was genuinely remorseful.

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