Belinda Mace: Deaf Ipswich woman charged with no interpreter present

An Ipswich woman who has been deaf since birth will front court on charges she does not understand, as there was no interpreter present during police proceedings to explain them to her.

A deaf woman from Ipswich has been charged with trespass and wilful damage, despite allegedly not having access to an interpreter throughout her dealings with police.

One Mile woman Belinda Mace, 55, was born deaf and has just entered remission for two types of cancer.

The Queensland Times understands she received a delayed diagnosis due to communication difficulties associated with her deafness.

Ms Mace’s sister, Karen Andrew, said Ms Mace became close with her next-door neighbours after they moved in and she received her cancer diagnoses about 18 months ago.

But the relationship between neighbours deteriorated over time, becoming particularly sour over the past five months.

Karen Andrew and her sister Belinda Mace. Picture: Supplied

Ms Andrew, 58, said police first attended Ms Mace’s property in relation to the neighbour dispute to find a man urinating on her fence.

She said the second time they attended was three weeks ago at 4am, in response to a noise complaint she believed Ms Mace’s neighbours had made.

Ms Mace was supposedly asleep at the time.

“She couldn’t hear (police) knocking obviously, so they actually broke in,” Ms Andrew said.

“They were shining torches into the back of the house through the back door.

“Once again, she didn’t know what was going on.”

Ms Andrew said Ms Mace’s neighbours called the police on Ms Mace a number of times “out of spite”.

A combination of the cancer-related treatment she was receiving and the situation with her neighbours eventually caused her to “lose the plot”, Ms Andrews said, and she visited her neighbours’ house to confront them.

Police were called to the address on Sunday October 24 about 11.30pm, following reports of a woman trespassing and causing damage to a residence.

It is alleged Ms Mace jumped a fence to gain access to the property then began striking the outside of the house and a vehicle in the garage with a broom.

“It is further alleged the woman then walked to the front of the house and smashed a window next to the front door with a broom,” a Queensland Police Service spokeswoman said.

“There were people inside the dwelling at the time who had notified police.”

Belinda Mace has recently entered remission after being treated for two types of cancer. Picture: Supplied

Paramedics also attended the scene to assess Ms Mace who had sustained a cut from glass during the incident.

She was then taken into custody and transported to the Ipswich Watchhouse.

“A relative of the woman who was able to communicate with her attended the watchhouse and explained the woman would be charged with trespass and wilful damage before being released into her care,” a QPS spokeswoman said.

Ms Andrew said her sister read the charges laid against her and the conditions of her bail, but no interpreter was present to answer any of her questions or help Ms Mace explain her version of events.

“She was released on bail with conditions that were never explained to her, never communicated to her,” Ms Andrew said.

“I asked, ‘how did you interview her?’ and they said ‘we didn’t’.

“My whole point is, how was she charged if there was no interpreter?”

Ms Andrew said her sister had continued to have problems with her neighbours since, the situation “too big” and depressing for her to process.

“Because of her deafness, her home was the only place she felt safe,” Ms Andrew said.

“Now she doesn’t feel safe. She feels like she’s under attack.”

Ms Andrew said her sister was the “most loveable person” who would not want to cause any harm, but every person has their limits and she had reached hers.

Ms Mace is due to face Ipswich Magistrates Court for the alleged offences next month.