Drug-addicted mum Rebecca Lee Jacob avoids jail after posting violent Kmart bashing to Snapchat

A drug-addicted South East mum who filmed a northern suburbs woman being punched in the face over an alleged debt has learned her fate for posting the violent incident to Snapchat.

Rebecca Lee Jacob, 38, pleaded guilty to driving with a combination of drugs and engaging in humiliating or degrading filming. Picture: Supplied

A drug-addicted mother has dodged jail after she filmed a friend allegedly punching a woman in the face in a popular retail store over an alleged debt, a court has heard.

Rebecca Lee Jacob, 38, spotted the victim in the Mount Gambier Kmart on December 8, 2022, telling a Lucy Koch-Little “is that (the victim)?”, a court has heard.

Jacob said the victim owed a friend some money, later telling police she filmed the assault “because she can”, the court heard.

Appearing unrepresented in the Mount Gambier Magistrates Court on Tuesday, Jacob pleaded guilty to driving with a combination of drugs and engaging in humiliating or degrading filming.

As a charge of engaging in humiliating or degrading filming can attract up to a year in prison, Magistrate Koula Kossiavelous was hesitant about sentencing Jacob without a lawyer, but was reassured when police prosecution told the court they would be seeking a suspended sentence.

Rebecca Lee Jacob has avoided jail after she filmed a friend allegedly violently bashing a woman in Mount Gambier's Kmart. Picture: Arj Ganesan

Police prosecution told the court the victim came into the Mount Gambier station to report the assault — showing officers the footage of the violent bashing, which had been shared over Snapchat.

Though police were assisted in their investigation of the assault by the video captured by Jacob, police prosecution said it was not her “intent” to assist police.

Ms Kossiavelos said it was an “irony of life” that Jacob had assisted police by committing an offence.

A police spokesman said 20-year-old Lucy Koch-Little was arrested for allegedly punching the 32-year-old Klemzig woman in the face.

Ms Koch-Little first fronted court on January 10 and was released on continuing bail.

She will next front court in March.

Rebecca Lee Jacob has avoided jail after she filmed a friend allegedly violently bashing a woman in Mount Gambier's Kmart. Picture: Arj Ganesan

Jacob was also caught drug driving on October 18, 2022, with police finding cannabis, methamphetamine and MDMA in her system.

Speaking in her own defence Jacob told the court she was currently on a waiting list to seek treatment for her drug addiction.

Breaking down in tears, Jacob told Ms Kossiavelos “there’s lots of things I could say, but I don’t want to give a sob story”.

Ms Kossiavelos heavily rebuked Jacob before handing down her sentence.

“Your intention wasn’t really to help the police (but) as a result of your recording police now have the evidence to make charges against the assailant,” she said.

Jacob was handed the minimum six-month driving disqualification and fined $900 for her drug driving charges, she was also released with conviction on a $200 12-month good behaviour bond.