Lilith Martin sentenced for assault occasioning bodily harm while armed

Tensions between neighbours boiled over when a 57-year-old woman approached a man with “a weapon that could crack skulls open”. Read what happened in court.

Lilith Martin leaves Maroochydore Court House. Picture: Patrick Woods.

A neighbourly dispute turned violent when a woman in her 50s swung a 75cm-long crowbar at a man in the Sunshine Coast hinterland.

Lilith Martin, 57, pleaded guilty in the Maroochydore District Court on Monday, May 29 to a sole charge of assault occasioning bodily harm while armed after the incident on September 19, 2021.

The court was told Martin’s neighbour was doing work on his property in his ute when he noticed her standing near the vehicle.

Crown prosecutor Joana Dias said Martin yelled her neighbour had run her over and then approached him with a long crowbar and swung it at his head.

Ms Dias said the man put his arm up to protect himself and the crowbar struck his right ring finger.

Lilith Martin leaves Maroochydore Court House. Picture: Patrick Woods.

The victim then kicked Martin to get her away from him and she fell backwards down a hill, dropping the crowbar. He restrained her to stop her from getting it back and called triple-0 and his wife.

In a video tendered to the court, the neighbour can be heard saying to Martin “do you know you’re on private property?” while she screams she is not able to breathe. He offered to help her up if she calms down.

Martin’s husband, as well as the victim’s wife and young child, ran to the scene before police arrived and an ambulance was called.

Both the victim and Martin were taken to the Sunshine Coast University Hospital, where it was revealed the victim had a fractured finger and Martin had a fractured wrist.

Defence barrister Penelope White said her client was a Bosnian refugee who fled her country in the 1990s to escape the war, and has since been diagnosed with PTSD.

There were ongoing tensions between the neighbours at the time of the offence, Ms White said, and highlighted the fact her client was injured in the scuffle as well as the victim.

Judge Glen Cash said the man acted appropriately by restraining his attacker, who had approached him with “a weapon that can crack skulls open”.

Ms White said her client and her husband had sold up their property shortly after the event and relocated to Victoria. She now lives in Melbourne.

Judge Cash sentenced Martin to 12 months behind bars, suspended for another 12 months.