Dalby mum savagely beats woman before swinging garden hoe

A DAYTIME assault in Dalby resulted in a young mum assaulting a woman, before arming herself with a sharp gardening tool when the victim tried to escape. MORE DETAILS:

IN COURT: Jesse Anne Murray faced Dalby Magistrates Court on four charges. Picture: File

A DALBY mum armed herself with a sharp gardening tool when her victim tried to escape the savage beating she was given in broad daylight in Dalby.

Jesse Anne Murray, 28, faced Dalby Magistrates Court this month charged with assaults occasioning bodily harm (domestic violence offence), committing a public nuisance, going armed to cause fear (domestic violence offence), and failure to appear in accordance with an undertaking on September 15.

The court heard of the 28-year-old's day of destruction on August 7, when police were called to a Dalby address about 3.25pm in relation to a disturbance.

Police prosecutor senior constable Jodie Tahana said the assault began after Murray and her ex-partner had broken up after a nine month relationship, telling police she had come to retrieve her mobile phone.

The victim, the ex-partner's sister, had been speaking to her brother on the phone before the incident, and was informed about the couple's break up.

The court heard the victim attended the Dalby address to get her brother's property, where she saw Murray and had a conversation with her.

The court heard Murray began abusing the victim as her ex-partner was packing his belongings into her car.

Murray called her a "f---ing c---" as she walked up to the victim, and punched her in the face, then three times in her chest, causing her to "buckle over in pain".

The defendant approached her ex-partner, ripped his shirt, and then punched him as well.

Senior constable Tahana said the victim had then thrown herself between the couple, making her a target for three more punches, before she was tackled to the ground by Murray, causing ligament damage to the victim.

The court heard the defendant's father intervened, however Murray then followed her ex-partner across the street, throwing parts of broken pottery at him.

Dalby Magistrates Court. Picture: Mark Cranitch.

The victim had gone to flee from the madness to her car, however Murray returned, again calling her a "f---ing c---", and pushed her in the chest.

Murray then went to her yard and returned with a chipping hoe, 1.5m long, constructed with a sharp, metal chipping blade.

"The defendant then raised the hoe above her head, approached the victim, and told the victim she was going to hit her and her car," senior constable Tahana said.

"The defendant's mother has then intervened, telling the defendant to stop.

"The defendant swung the hoe, hitting a mailbox, and knocking it off the fence."

The victim was able to escape and drove to another address on the street to wait for police to arrive.

Murray told police the fight was over the mobile phone, and she hit the victim because "she became involved".

She was subsequently taken to Dalby police station and charged.

Murray's criminal history was tendered to the court, with a dated entry from 2010 in relation to an assault occasioning bodily harm, and creating a disturbance in a licensed premises in 2015.

Defence lawyer Michael McElhinny said the 28-year-old former barista was currently looking for work, and was the mother of two daughters.

Mr McElhinny told the court it was a "nasty break up" between her and her ex-partner, and "harsh words" exchanged between them about a mobile phone.

He said she was originally just trying to get her phone back and had lost her temper, and behaved "atrociously".

Magistrate Tracy Mossop said it was not unusual for people to go to jail for offences of physical violence, and asked her to "control [herself" since she was the mother of two children.

Murray pleaded guilty to all charges, and was given two years probation.

She was then ordered to pay $800 compensation to the victim.

No convictions were recorded.

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