Alison Norris escapes jail after explosive tirade at former co-worker

A Lismore mum who turned to offending after “losing everything” in the floods launched a verbal tirade against her co-worker before slashing their car and tyres up with a large knife.

NSW Police. Picture: NewsWire/ Gaye Gerard

A Lismore mum who turned to offending after “losing everything” in the floods launched a verbal tirade against her former co-worker before slashing their car and tyres up with a large knife.

Alison Norris appeared in Ballina Local Court on Thursday before Magistrate Anne Sinclair, facing multiple charges including assault, intimidation, and property damage.

The court heard on July 5, 2023, while serving a community correction order, Norris confronted a former co-worker at their home, accusing them of sexually abusing her daughter and criticising her then-partner for lack of support.

The confrontation escalated, with Norris verbally abusing the woman, who retreated in fear.

Outside the home, Norris damaged two cars, slashing tyres and scratching the paintwork with a large knife, court documents state.

Ballina Courthouse.

Police were called and seized a knife Norris had used, described as larger than a standard steak knife.

The co-worker completed a domestic violence evidence in chief (DVEC), expressing fear of further violence and property damage.

A coworker was intimidated when Norris invaded her personal space to accuse her of abusing her daughter.

Norris was arrested at Lismore police station shortly after, declining an interview but admitting to the damage.

She was charged with common assault, stalking, intimidation, and property damage.

The accusations of sexual abuse perpetrated by the co-worker are completely unfounded and the person is not accused of any wrongdoing.

In a separate incident on April 30, 2024, Norris was involved in an altercation with a new partner.

After being locked out of the house, Norris allegedly upended pot plants on the veranda, court documents state.

Police attended the North Lismore address to arrest Norris.

During a subsequent struggle, Norris kicked her partner in the chest, causing cuts and scratches.

Police were called and an apprehended violence order (AVO) application was put in place to protect the partner.

Norris was arrested on May 2, 2024, and charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

Defence counsel Xavier Henckep-Spice told the court that Norris’s offending occurred after she “lost everything” in the 2022 floods, and at the end of a 13-year relationship.

He argued Norris did not initiate violence in the April incident, and that her partner’s injuries were a result of a struggle.

He noted Norris had completed the Merit (Magistrates Early Referral Into Treatment) program, and was working to improve her behaviour.

The court heard Norris suffered from complex PTSD and was undergoing counselling for childhood trauma.

She is a mother of two and receives a parenting pension.

Mr Henckep-Spice sought leniency, requesting no action be taken on the existing community correction order.

Magistrate Sinclair acknowledged the struggle between Norris and her partner, but deemed Norris’s response as “excessive”.

“It’s disturbing at the time you were on a CCO and previously a conditional release order,” Ms Sinclair said.

For breaching her CCO, Norris was convicted and sentenced to a six-month supervised extension of the order, from June 5 to December 4, 2025.

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Originally published as Alison Norris escapes jail after explosive tirade at former co-worker