Dannika Phyllis Slater-Parsons sentenced for assault

A citizen’s arrest went horribly wrong when a Sunshine Coast thief, 25, turned on a woman for exposing her supermarket crime. Read what happened here:

Dannika Phyllis Slater-Parsons was sentenced to 107 days in prison after she pleaded guilty to six charges including assault occasioning bodily harm, common assault and three counts of stealing. Picture: Social media

A woman, 25, chased a “good citizen” and slammed her into the ground by her hair for trying to stop her from stealing, a court has heard.

Dannika Phyllis Slater-Parsons was sentenced to 107 days in prison after she pleaded guilty to six charges including assault occasioning bodily harm, common assault and three counts of stealing.

Police prosecutor Alison Johnstone told Maroochydore Magistrates Court the victim was attempting to be a “good citizen” and report Slater-Parsons for stealing two drinks from Coles on November 11, 2017.

Sergeant Johnstone said Slater-Parsons admitted to pushing and slapping the young victim before chasing her down and causing her bodily harm in a second assault.

“ … (Slater-Parsons) has grabbed the victim by her hair and slammed her to the ground,” she said.

Sergeant Johnstone said the victim was behind Slater-Parsons in the checkout line and had witnessed the Mooloolah Valley resident attempt to pay for two drinks with a gift card before giving up and leaving the store.

She said the victim was attempting some sort of a citizen’s arrest and making it known she had seen Slater-Parsons stealing when she was assaulted.

“The victim wanted to be a good citizen and do the right thing as she had seen her commit the stealing offence and then it snowballed into her being assaulted twice,” Sergeant Johnstone said

Sergeant Johnstone suggested a prison sentence suspended for 12 months would be appropriate.

“These are serious offences,” she said.

“This type of thing does deter the general person from wanting to do the right thing … causing the public to step aside and watch things happen.”

Dannika Phyllis Slater-Parsons was sentenced to 107 days in prison after she pleaded guilty to six charges including assault occasioning bodily harm, common assault and three counts of stealing. Picture: Social media

The court heard Slater-Parsons had interstate criminal history with similar offending that occurred after 2017.

She is also subject to probation and community service orders.

Magistrate Maxine Baldwin highlighted Slater-Parsons’ criminal history since the 2017 offences, noting she had two counts of common assault, theft and minor theft in the Australian Capital Territory.

“There has been no improvement in behaviour at all; she has just jumped from one (state) to the other,” she said.

Duty lawyer Michael Robinson said the 25-year-old had engaged in a rehabilitation facility for her alcohol use, spent 18 months solidifying a medication plan for her mental health and started a bachelor of business.

“Given the way young people's brains develop, the fact she has been out of substantial trouble for some three years or so surely could indicate the court may take some comfort that she has improved her behaviour,” he said.

“She got in a lot of trouble in a short time both here and in the southern states … but she has put all that behind her for some substantial time.”

Dannika Phyllis Slater-Parsons. Picture: Social media.

Mr Robinson said the sentence imposed needed to have regard to the totality of a sentence previously given to Slater-Parsons and the time she had since spent in prison.

He suggested a 107-day prison sentence and asked for her 107 days of pre-sentence custody be declared as time already served.

Ms Baldwin warned Slater-Parsons she would spend her life in and out of jail if she didn’t commit to her rehabilitation.

“I don’t share as much enthusiasm for your improvement as your lawyer Mr Robinson,” she said.

“I really don’t know if you are as committed as you are trying to be today.”

After careful consideration Ms Baldwin declared Slater-Parsons’ 107 days of pre-sentence custody as time already served for the assault occasioning bodily harm.

Ms Baldwin didn’t further punish Slater-Parsons for the remaining charges.