A WOMAN who humiliated a homeless man by throwing a milkshake over him has been ordered to do unpaid work.

Jobless Dana Hooper was convicted after an Argus reporter filmed the incident on their phone.

The video has been viewed thousands of times.

Hooper, 24, threw her drink over Nick Hulley as he groaned and tried to defend himself, Brighton Magistrates court heard.

Hooper had followed Mr Hulley into Duke Street after an earlier confrontation with him near the Theatre Royal.

The Argus reporter’s video caught the assault from the other side of Duke Street on October 13.

The reporter called police and ambulance after Mr Hulley was assaulted by Hooper as he lay in a doorway. A clip from the reporter’s phone video was played in court as part of the prosecution evidence against Hooper.

The Argus:

Hooper, who lives in a hostel in Portslade, pleaded guilty to common assault by throwing her drink over Mr Hulley.

District Judge Teresa Szagun told Hooper her sentence was increased for the humiliation she subjected him to. “I found it was an aggravating feature you were prepared to continue following him – whilst he was being assaulted by others – to add to the humiliation by the action you took.”

Suzanne Soros, prosecuting, said independent witnesses were concerned for Mr Hulley’s safety and tried to intervene.

“She carried on abusing him even after people were saying to leave him alone,” Ms Soros said.

“They describe kicking while he was on the floor and he was shouting and groaning in pain.

“I could see him on his back, holding his arm up as if trying to protect himself, one said.

“Female One told a witness ‘I’ll stamp on his head in front of you’.

“Female Two [Hooper] had a bottle in her hand and started sloshing the liquid on him,” Ms Soros said.

Mr Hulley has not come forward to make a complaint, the court heard, and there would be no financial compensation for him.

Hooper was with a group of friends at the time. Ed Fish, defending, said there was a confrontation between Hooper, her friends and Mr Hulley.

The court heard Hooper has been afraid to leave home since The Argus video went viral. Mr Fish said she had been subjected to abuse and threats.

He said she had lost control, adding: “She does apologise and she regrets it.”

The judge acknowledged Hooper had a difficult background and ordered her to serve a 12-month community order including 12 rehabilitation days and 80 hours unpaid work.

Hooper will also be under electronic weekend curfew and will have £175 costs and surcharge deducted from her benefits.

l Peter Derbyshire, 37, of Bognor. is separately charged with assault by beating of Mr Hulley. He is due to appear before Brighton magistrates at the end of the month.