Ballina’s Talia Maree Manton found guilty of kidnapping, robbery of 17-year-old girl on North Coast

A North Coast kidnapper tricked a girl, 17, into a car by promising a fun trip and instead took her to a caravan park, before a balaclava-clad co-offender hit her with an axe, a court heard.

Talia Maree Manton faced Lismore District Court following the kidnapping and robbery.

A North Coast kidnapper tricked a 17-year-old girl into a car by promising a fun trip and instead took her to a caravan park before a balaclava-clad co-offender hit her with an axe.

The teenager was accused of being caught “in the act” with one her attackers’ boyfriends two weeks prior, Lismore District Court heard.

Ballina woman Talia Maree Manton, 27, told the girl to get out of the car after the attack by the co-offender involving several blows with the weapon – and then tried to run her down on The Coast Road.

Manton faced the court for a three-day trial late last month after pleading not guilty to taking/detaining in company to get advantage causing actual bodily harm, as well as robbery in company. However, Judge Sarah Hopkins found Manton guilty on Thursday.

NSW Police confirmed the unknown woman wielding the axe has still not been charged.

Manton told the girl she was going to take her to the “coast” and took her to Reflections Holidays caravan park’s car park at Ballina on March 20 last year, the court was told.

The co-offender hopped in the back seat of the blue SUV Manton was driving, grasping a near-50cm axe, with her face covered, and the car took off.

The co-offender wielded an axe.

She questioned the young victim: “Did you f--k my boyfriend?”

The co-offender struck the girl on the head and the back with the weapon. The teen was then forced to hand over jewellery, clothes and shoes.

Manton pulled over at Lennox Head, near Ballina, and the girl was ordered to get out of the car.

The co-offender began chasing the teen with the axe, while Manton drove over a traffic island to try to run down the victim on The Coast Rd, the court heard.

Part of The Coast Road, Lennox Head. Picture: Google Maps.

A motorist driving by stopped next to Manton’s car and asked what was happening. Manton told her the victim was suffering from drug psychosis.

However, the girl dashed to the bystander’s car and told the woman she had been robbed.

The witness drove the victim to the Ballina Police Station, where statements and photographs of injuries were compiled.

Manton claimed in court she visited the victim – who she did not know well – at home to collect cannabis and xanax and had no further contact.

Lismore Court House. Picture: Savannah Pocock

Manton denied ever being in a blue SUV and said she only knew the other woman said to have wielded the axe, as well as her partner, through drug circles in the area.

Crown Prosecutor Sam Rigby told the court the victim was honest and there was a strong case against Manton thanks to text messages, CCTV footage and a reliable witness.

The Crown argued Manton was “a known liar” and her version “did not sit well with common sense”.

However, Manton’s defence barrister Megan Cusack argued the young victim was unreliable because she was addicted to methamphetamines (ice) at the time and was sleep-deprived.

Ms Cusack also submitted there were inconsistencies in the teen’s evidence and that no axe was seen by the witness, or in CCTV footage. She said the injuries were not consistent with those made by an axe.

But Judge Hopkins found the victim to be truthful and reliable. She said Manton’s denials were “implausible” and “inconsistent with the objective evidence”.

Manton is due to face sentencing at Sydney Downing Centre court in November.