Janell Ivy Szymanski assaults partner’s pregnant former wife at children’s AFL game

A parenting dispute resulted in a mother grabbing her partner’s pregnant former wife by the throat on the sidelines of a junior AFL game.

Mother-of-six Janell Ivy Szymanski, 53, was charged with common assault after she attacked her partner’s pregnant former wife — grabbing her by the throat and calling her a “f***ing c**t on September 18, 2020.

A children’s football game turned ugly when an argument broke out between two mothers over custody of their children.

Mother-of-six Janell Ivy Szymanski, 53, was charged with common assault after she attacked her partner’s pregnant former wife, grabbing her by the throat and calling her a “f***ing c**t”.

Szymanski’s partner and the woman shared two sons together, aged nine and 13. They were playing AFL at the time of the assault.

The court heard the fight erupted after Szymanski told the woman they would be taking the two boys after the game on September 18, 2020.

There was an argument over the parenting arrangement with the victim alleging it was not Szymanski and her partner’s weekend to have the boys.

Prosecutor Sergeant Jay Merchant said the victim alleged Szymanski began calling the boys’ mother a “f***ing c**t” before grabbing her by the throat.

The pair was quickly separated but Szymanski launched again “pushing the victim with both hands three or four times”.

The court heard the victim felt immediate pain as she had had eight previous chest surgeries.

The pair were again separated for a short while before Szymanski ran towards the victim and one of the boys saying “come on, you’re coming with me”, pushing the victim several more times before officials escorted her away.

Szymanski was later charged with common assault.

She pleaded guilty to the charge on Thursday in Mackay Magistrates Court.

But she argued in her defence there had been tension leading up to the incident after she claimed to have discovered “explicit photos” of herself on the boys’ shared iPad a week prior.

She also argued it had been the school holidays where a separate parenting arrangement was in place and “they had planned to go away with the children for that week of the school holidays”.

Mr Merchant said the charge could carry a maximum of three years jail.

“This is not just one assault your Honour, this is multiple assaults contained in one event,” Sergeant Merchant said.

Sergeant Merchant also argued for the aggravating factors in the victim's condition, namely her pregnancy and eight chest surgeries.

But he argued it was also the community that suffered from the altercation.

“It was a community event, my suspicion is a period of community service would be appropriate in this instance so the (Szymanski) can give back to the community,” Sergeant Merchant said.

“It was a community event, a football game — there were kids around.”

Magistrate Athol Kennedy said the case was “most unusual”, and asked Szymanski what had possessed to her become involved in this type of violence.

Szymanski must complete 60 hours of community service.

No conviction was recorded.