Man charged after horrific alleged bashing of young Cairns mum

A young Cairns mum has been left with a broken nose and facial stitches after a trip to an Edmonton fast food restaurant ended in an unprovoked and brutal assault. WARNING: GRAPHIC PICTURE

A young Cairns mum has been left with a broken nose and facial stitches after a trip to an Edmonton fast food restaurant ended in an unprovoked and brutal assault.

Bloody and bruised Junaid Vaele was rushed to Cairns Hospital on Monday night after being spat on and bashed by an intoxicated man claiming to be the “king of Cairns”.

Ms Vaele with her sisters in-law unwittingly walked into a highly charged situation, oblivious to a police allegation that a Bentley Park man had previously caused a disturbance at the Mill Rd KFC outlet.

Cairns mum Junaid Vaele recovers in Cairns Hospital after being attacked at the Edmonton KFC on Monday night. Picture: Supplied

“A complete random man spat in my mouth and punched me in the nose,” Ms Vaele said. “(There was) blood everywhere and blurred vision within an instant.

“I was beaten badly, but I took every blow to the face, nose and head.”

Fearing for the wellbeing of her pregnant sister-in-law the 21-year-old again put herself in harm’s way before two KFC workers stepped in to assist. 

A Bentley Park man has been charged in relation to the brutal assault of 21-year-old Cairns mum Junaid Vaele at the Edmonton KFC on Monday night. Picture: Junaid Vaele

“Don’t know who they are, but I’m truly grateful, as I could tell, they were quite fearful of the man,” she said.

The group was eventually successful in reaching her brothers for help who arrived in time to dispense rough justice before police showed and took the alleged offender into custody.

“And then my family arrived and I felt a sense of relief because I knew he was going to get what he deserved,” she said.

A 21-year-old Cairns mum Junaid Vaele being loaded into an ambulance on Monday. Picture: Junaid Vaele

The 36-year-old man was charged with three counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm while affected by an intoxicating substance, one count of common assault while affected and one count of public nuisance.

The man is expected to appear before the Cairns Magistrates Court on October 12.

Now released from hospital Ms Vaele said she had bounced back emotionally but physically her face was still swollen.

“I am not traumatised and I still go about my day … but in that moment I was so affected, we just went to KFC to get dinner for the kids,” she said. 

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Originally published as Man charged after horrific alleged bashing of young Cairns mum