Sandie Veronica Garrett DV assault conviction appeal upheld in Coffs court

A Mid-North Coast youth worker who held a knife up to her wife and said “kill yourself” before ripping the shirt off her back when she tried to run, has successfully appealed her conviction.

Sandie Veronica Garrett leaves Coffs Harbour District Court on Monday, February 3.

A Coffs Harbour youth worker who held a knife up to her wife and said “kill yourself” before ripping the shirt off her back when she tried to run, has successfully appealed her conviction in the district court on mental health grounds.

Sandie Veronica Garrett previously pleaded guilty in a local court to three charges stemming from the violent incident at the couple’s Coffs Harbour home on the morning of July 21 last year.

Garrett, 34, a youth worker studying for a university psychology degree, had been married to the victim for approximately six years at the time of the incident.

Court documents state the incident was sparked when the couple started arguing over cheating allegations.

The victim then went back into the bedroom and Garrett followed her, ripping the sheets off her and punching her in the arm. Garrett raised a knife and said “kill yourself”.

At this point the victim ran towards the front door calling the neighbours for help but Garrett grabbed her by the shirt, completely ripping it off the woman’s back.

Sandie Veronica Garrett leaves Coffs Harbour District Court on Monday, February 3.

The woman then grabbed her phone and car keys and called a friend telling her what had happened.

Garrett grabbed the car keys off the victim but by this stage her friend had already called the police who arrived soon after.

The victim did not want to make a statement.

Garrett said she shoulder barged the victim and admitted to ripping her shirt as she wanted to pull her away from the door so neighbours would not hear the altercation.

As police were leading Garrett away, she began calling to the victim saying “tell them you’re lying” and “withdraw what you said”, according to police facts.

Garrett was later charged with common assault, destroy or damage property (the victim’s t-shirt) and stalk/intimidation in relation to the threats made as she was being taken away by police.

She pleaded guilty to all three charges and was convicted and sentenced at Coffs Harbour Local Court on August 6 where she was given an 18-month conditional release order.

But she lodged a conviction appeal in the district court under the Mental Health and Cognitive Impairment Forensic Provisions Act 2020.

This appeal was upheld on Friday and the charges dismissed with Garrett directed to abide by a mental health treatment plan.