Natasha Summa Hardy: Punches wheelchair-bound mother; spits in aunt’s mouth

A court has heard a woman’s year-long aggressive and belligerent drug-affected offending climaxed with a shocking assault on her mother.

The behaviour of a 30-year-old woman who punched her amputee wheelchair-bound mother up to 10 times in the face has been labelled as “abhorrent” by a court.

Appearing via video link from remand at Cleveland Magistrates Court with the support of her mother and older sister on Tuesday, Natasha Summa Hardy blamed a Xanax overdose on her vile offending.

Having served 27 days in pre-sentence custody, the now Cleveland mother-of-one pleaded guilty to 15 charges dating to November last year.

These included: Serious assault of a person over 60 (domestic violence offence); assault occasioning bodily harm; two counts of wilful damage (domestic violence offence); possessing drug utensils; possessing anything suspected of having been used in the commission of a drug offence and two counts of driving while SPER suspended.

The court heard Hardy’s most serious offending occurred over the course of November 3.

Natasha Summa Hardy, 30, was released from custody. Picture: Facebook.

An enraged Hardy pushed her mother back into a room before punching her “five to 10” times in the face.

According to police, the serious assault occurred in front of a social worker.

When police arrived at 10am, their bodycam footage captured Hardy attempting to light a drug pipe (or cone) at her mother’s damaged front door.

She was also found with a cannabis grinder, a bowl and scissors used for drug taking.

The court heard an aggressive and belligerent Hardy told officers: “If you just let me have a cone this will all be different”.

Arrested and later released, Hardy would return to the property at 9pm to smash a fish tank while attempting to enter the residence uninvited.

When her visiting aunt attempted to keep the defendant out, Hardy grabbed the 59-year-old woman by the hair and twice spat in her face and mouth.

It would not be her first encounter with police this year.

The court heard on April 7 at around midnight an aggressive and belligerent Hardy obstructed police when she resisted an arrest, flailed her arms and punched an officer in the face.

The court heard she told officers: “La la la, I am not listening to you,” before the incident.

A police prosecutor said Hardy’s unprovoked attack on her mother spoke of “abhorrent behaviour” and showed a “high criminality”.

Hardy was supported by family at court. (AAP Image/Richard Walker)

Despite having only one criminal entry for shoplifting in 2014, the prosecution said the offending was so serious it warranted an actual jail term, with one-third to be served.

Defence solicitor Kurt McDonald acknowledged his client’s “quite disgraceful and concerning” behaviour.

Noting Hardy’s relatively clean record, Mr McDonald alluded to an unspecified event that “launched” her into a mental health “descent” lasting for much of a year.

The defence further acknowledged that a mental health report found no evidence of her having suffered a psychotic episode.

An emotive Hardy told the court she knows her behaviour was disgusting and blamed it on a Xanax overdose.

“I know my behaviour is appalling and disgusting and there is no excuse for it,” she said.

She further thanked Magistrate Deborah Vasta for her stint in remand, which served as a detox from cannabis and a new start, she said.

Ms Vasta noted Hardy was very good at playing the victim card and went as far as to admonish Hardy’s mother and elder sister for attempting to explain her behaviour away while they supported her at court.

“There is absolutely no justification (for it),” Ms Vasta said.

Hardy was released from remand and sentenced to three years’ probation.

For twice driving unlicensed she was disqualified from driving for 12 months.

No conviction was recorded.