Those were the words of a teenager who today asked for forgiveness for her part in a vicious beating that left two gay women lying blood-soaked outside their Hamp-shire home.

Charlotte Cousins, 18, admitted taking part in a street attack on Nina Meffen and Carol Cashmore in front of Nina's ten-year-old daughter Jodie in North Baddesley.

She and her two co-accused bragged about the assault on a website, describing it as "gay-bashing" and "dyke-bashing".

Now Charlotte, who lives with her mum in Eastleigh, has insisted she is not homophobic and has told of her desire to turn her life around.

She told the Daily Echo: "I have done something wrong which I have admitted and I'm paying for what I did.

"I am sorry for hurting them and for any pain they suffered.

"I'm using this as a chance to sit down and think about what I have done. This will never, ever happen again - this whole experience has stamped that behaviour out forever."

Speaking about the homophobic comments she had posted on the Internet, Charlotte said: "It was pure frustration. I was frustrated by how it had escalated the way it had. I wish I had not put the comments there."

A judge at Southampton Crown Court described the offence, which was caught on a CCTV camera installed by the couple outside their property, as "grotesque".

Charlotte said her behaviour that night - July 31 last year - was "totally out of character".

She added: "My friends know it is not me and that it must have been something bad which triggered me off.

"I'm just a normal teenager. I was going to college in Eastleigh at the time studying, working and spending time with my friends.

"I want it to be known that I am not and have never in my entire life been homophobic - four of my best mates are gay.

"We all really regret what happened. It was an alcohol-fuelled argument which turned into a fight."

Charlotte was three years old when her mum April Pickett and dad Stephen split.

April, a 39-year-old carer, said her daughter had been a popular student at Quilley School of Engineering, where she passed all but two of her GCSEs.

She said: "All her teachers liked and respected her. She was just a typical teenager.

"I hope this is all over now and both parties can move on. It was one of those things that should not have happened but it did. I know Charlotte regrets what happened."

After the sentencing this week, one of the victims, Carol Cashmore said she had "never had abuse like that before" and had considered moving away from her home.

Scissor Sisters singer Ana Matronic, a friend of Nina, even rang the Daily Echo to tell of her disgust at the beating.

Curfew Charlotte was handed a three-month curfew, 150 hours' community service and given a two-year community order after admitting a charge of affray.

Her pal Lydia Lake, 18, of Emer Close, North Baddesley, was given a two-year community order, 250 hours community work and a six-month curfew after pleading guilty to the same charge.

Co-defendant Thomas Young, 20, of Hammonds Lane, Totton, was handed a 12-month community order and a three-month curfew after he admitted a public order offence. All three were electronically tagged.

Charlotte says she now intends to concentrate on her job at a fast food outlet.

She added: "If there was a clock I would rewind it. My and my friends' lives have been ruined by what we did that night. I want everyone to know that I'm not homophobic in the slightest."