Sataya Carolynn Burns pleads guilty in Mackay Magistrates Court to assault

A break-up turned violent when a former waitress dragged another woman out of a house by her hair, punching her in the face and holding her down while another kicked her on the ground.

A relationship breakdown took a horrific turn when a woman drove to a Mackay house to pick up her Xbox from her former boyfriend.

One of the woman’s friends took it upon herself to launch an attack on the man’s new girlfriend inside.

Mackay Magistrates Court heard Sataya Carolynn Burns was accompanying her friend with three others to retrieve the Xbox from the friend’s former boyfriend’s house on July 21, 2021.

When the group of five arrived, a man was at the door with the gaming console, ready to return it to the former girlfriend.

The 21 year old had similarly gone to her former boyfriend’s home in 2019 and jumped on another woman who was asleep inside, grabbing her hair and punching her in the head, yelling “you sl-t, you’re sleeping with my man”.

But the court heard this wasn’t enough for the former girlfriend’s friend Burns, who barged through the door and grabbed the man’s shirt, punching him several times in the face.

Burns’ companions then launched into the attack, with Burns lodging herself between him and the door preventing any escape.

Prosecutor sergeant Hannah Beaumont said on hearing the chaos, a woman inside rushed to help the man when Burns turned on her, grabbing her by the hair and using her free hand to punch the woman in the head.

Burns then pulled the woman by her hair from the house, dragging her outside where she held her down on the ground while another member of the group began to kick and punch the woman.

“You are a danger to the community — you are a violent person.”

Sergeant Beaumont said while there was no significant injury caused, the violence of the attack should not be overlooked.

The victim suffered a bump to the head but minimal other injuries.

The court heard it was not the first time Burns had been violent towards another woman over a man.

Sergeant Beaumont told the court the 21 year old had similarly gone to her former boyfriend’s home in 2019 and jumped on another woman who was asleep inside, grabbing her hair and punching her in the head, yelling “you sl-t, you’re sleeping with my man”.

Burns lawyer Rosemary Varley said her client Sataya Carolynn Burns had been quite drunk at the time of the most recent attack.

Burns lawyer Rosemary Varley said her client had been quite drunk at the time of the most recent attack and had “blacked out”, unable to recall the events of the day.

She said her client was still dealing with the grief of losing her boyfriend in 2018, and was now getting help.

Burns pleaded guilty in Mackay Magistrates Court to common assault, assault occasioning actual bodily harm and wilful damage.

Magistrate Bronwyn Hartigan said she did not accept Burns could not recall the night, calling the 21 year old “a violent person”.

“It’s a reprehensible act,” Ms Hartigan said.

“You are a danger to the community — you are a violent person.”

Ms Hartigan said the only thing that stopped Burns from spending time in jail was “good luck” that her blows had not caused more injury.

“The fact you’re a girl, it doesn’t matter, there are plenty of girls in custody,” Ms Hartigan said.

Burns was sentenced to six months jail wholly suspended for two years for assaulting the man and 12 months jail with immediate parole for assaulting the woman.

Burns was ordered to pay a total of $750 compensation to her victims and $1001 restitution for the damage caused to the property.