Julianne Marie Skewes in court over vicious assault

A woman and her daughter were on their way to a shopping trip when they were attacked so violently the mother’s eardrum was ruptured.

A woman violently attacked on her way to go shopping with her daughter in Bundaberg must now wear a hearing aid because of her injuries.

The District Court of Bundaberg heard how Julianne Marie Skewes and her daughter had a “history of animosity” with the victim and her teenage daughter.

The court heard that at some point in time, both women had daughters who had dated the same man on separate occasions, which was said to be the “genesis” of the dispute.

It heard that the ongoing feud had led the victim pair to carry out pranks on Skewes and her daughter, such as throwing eggs at their car.

But things turned violent on March 12, 2021 when Skewes, then 52, and her daughter who was then 29, ran into the other pair on George St as they made their way to Hinkler Central shopping centre.

The court heard that Skewes’ daughter challenged the victim mother to a fight, saying “let’s finish this”.

The victims told the defendant and her daughter to “go away”, but Skewes then “formed a ball of phlegm” and spat it at the older victim’s chest.

The victim responded: “You’re a filthy, putrid b----”.

It was heard that Skewes’ daughter then started hitting the older victim with a closed fist, punching her in the head.

The woman was hit and punched in the face and chest, and spat on as she laid on the ground, the court heard.

When the victim’s teenage daughter tried to help her, Skewes hit the girl in the face with a closed fist despite her plea that she was “only 14”, the court was told.

Julianne Marie Skewes leaves Bundaberg Court House.

The court heard Skewes responded with “I don’t give a f--- how old you are”.

The teenage girl’s partner arrived on scene and pulled Skewes off the older victim.

It was then that the partner of the older victim arrived with a baseball bat and struck Skewes in the arm, leaving bruising and a cut.

After the fight, the victims realised a backpack belonging to the teenager had been taken, but when they went to get it, another onslaught ensued.

It was heard Skewes’ daughter punched the older victim and pulled her hair, before they pushed the teenager to the ground and both started hitting her with a hairbrush.

Skewes and her daughter were seen holding the older woman by the hair when an off-duty police officer happened by the scene and intervened.

The most serious injury resulting from the attack was to the older victim, who needed audiological rehabilitation and must now wear a hearing aid after suffering a ruptured ear drum.

Judge John Rackemann termed it “gratuitous violence carried out in a public place”.

“The assaults were significant, involving closed fist punches and kicks, including kicks to the head.”

Defence barrister Simone Biles told the court her client, a mother of five, had been a breast cancer survivor and that she felt ashamed of her conduct.

Skewes pleaded guilty to two counts of assault occasioning bodily harm whilst armed in company.

The judge took into account Skewes’ early plea of guilty and that she had also suffered in being hit by the baseball bat.

She was sentenced to 15 months’ prison for each offence, to be served concurrently.

Skewes was granted immediate parole.