Convicted murderer Veronica Jane Hay avoids further jail time after spitting at teen girls in Maccas line
A month after she was sentenced for spitting at a pregnant nurse, convicted murderer Veronica Jane Hay has fronted court for spitting at two teen girls.
Mount Gambier
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A month after being sentenced for spitting on a pregnant nurse, a previously convicted murderer has fronted court for spitting on two teens in an unprovoked attack at McDonald’s.
Veronica Jane Hay, 54, avoided jail after she was sentenced in August this year for spitting at a pregnant nurse in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Appearing from prison by video link in the Mount Gambier Magistrates Court on Tuesday, Hay pleaded guilty to two counts of assault and one count of failing to comply with her bail agreement.
The court heard Hay entered the McDonald’s just off Bay Rd in Mount Gambier, spitting at two teens aged 15 and 16 after walking in-between the pair.
Hay has been in custody since the September 29 assault.
In 1992 Hay, then 24, and one other man were found guilty of the murder of Victorian man Lance Edward Patrick by a jury and Supreme Court judge Justice Debelle sentenced them to life in jail, saying they would all be eligible for release in about 13-and-a-half years.
A police prosecutor said the community needed to be protected from Hay’s repeated violent offending.
“This isn’t the first time that she’s spat on another person,” a police prosecutor said.
“The public is at risk from her behaviour.”
Despite calling for a term of imprisonment, police prosecutors did not oppose a partially suspended sentence agreeing with Magistrate Koula Kossiavelos that they can’t “keep her in prison forever”.
Hay’s defence lawyer Tess Dunsford submitted a number of medical reports to the court, suggesting the best solution would be for the accused to undergo a “community management plan”.
Ms Dunsford said time in custody had served as an adequate punishment, asking the court to suspend any further custodial sentence.
Ms Kossiavelos said a community management plan sounded “like the perfect solution”.
The court heard Hay has been diagnosed with borderline personality disorder, substance use disorder and some reports indicating “a suggestion of schizophrenia”.
“The problems are alcohol, marijuana and amphetamines, wrong medications or no medications,” Ms Kossiavelos said.
After a 40 per cent sentencing discount was applied Ms Kossiavelos sentenced Hay three months and 22 days imprisonment.
However after factoring in time served, Ms Kossiavelos ordered for the remainder of the sentence to be suspended.
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