Central QLD mum sentenced for assaulting 6yo daughter

A Central Queensland mum threatened to kill her six-year-old daughter before unleashing a violent assault on the little girl which included biting her nose.

A Gladstone court has heard shocking details of a violent assault on a six-year-old girl. Generic image.

A Central Queensland mother who threatened to kill her six-year-old daughter before carrying out a “serious and disturbing” assault on the child, has faced court.

The 28-year-old woman, who by law cannot be named, was sentenced in the District Court at Gladstone this week after pleading guilty to assault occasioning bodily harm (domestic violence offence).

The court heard that on April 12 last year, the woman who was drunk, returned home with her six-year-old daughter.

The mum was heard yelling at the girl that she wanted to kill her and kill herself too, and a neighbour called police.

The mum then assaulted the child by putting a hand around her neck, causing scratches.

The child screamed in her mother’s ear in a bid to stop her, but the mum responded by biting the girl on her nose and finger.

The child sustained bruising to her nose and a bite mark on her finger.

Later, a bruise also developed on the child’s neck.

The court heard that when police arrived at the home, the mother was still yelling at her daughter and the child was “crying hysterically”.

The mum was too drunk to be interviewed by police.

Gladstone Courthouse.

The Crown described the woman’s offending as a “serious and disturbing” act of violence on a vulnerable, young child.

The mum’s barrister Scott Moon said she had shown immediate remorse for her actions after police arrived by apologising “in tears” to her daughter, and also telling officers that she was “highly embarrassed” by what she had done.

The court heard the child is not currently in the mother’s care.

After hearing submissions from Mr Moon, Judge Jeff Clarke noted that the mum had endured “an incredibly troubled life” having experienced family break-up and dislocation at a young age.

Judge Clarke also accepted the mum had suffered sexual, emotional and physical abuse as a child.

The court heard that the mum, in her adult life, had experienced difficulty in maintaining relationships and for a period of time had abused alcohol and drugs.

It was told the mum had previously appeared in courts due to her drug abuse problem but her history did not contain any offences of violence.

The court heard that since the assault of her daughter, the mum had engaged well with treatment and counselling, and she also had an ongoing mental health plan.

Judge Clarke noted the mum had not returned to illicit drug use and that had been confirmed by testing, and her alcohol abuse problem was in remission.

Mr Moon submitted no conviction be recorded as the mum, who was unemployed, hoped to get back into the workforce.

Judge Clarke sentenced the woman to two years’ probation with conditions, and a conviction was recorded.