Blacktown woman Reremata Soatini pleads guilty to domestic violence-related attack over Facebook posts

Fearful her conservative family would uncover a series of critical Facebook posts by a relative, a western Sydney woman hatched a plan to get them deleted. Instead, she ended up in a violent melee.

Reremata Soatini, 36, of Blacktown, pleaded guilty at Penrith Local Court on Friday to domestic violence-related reckless wounding. Picture: Nathan Schmidt

A woman targeted by string of scathing Facebook posts by her cousin told a court she only wanted the posts deleted when she entered the man’s home before bludgeoning him with an iron.

Reremata Soatini, 36, of Blacktown, pleaded guilty at Penrith Local Court on Friday to domestic violence-related reckless wounding following a frightening melee inside a Hassall Grove home on February 8, 2022.

Soatini told police she had hatched a plan to enter the home after series of posts by the man accused her of being a drug user and sexually promiscuous – although she admitted in court to drug use.

About 3pm, Soatini was driven to the property by another relative who had agreed to help have the posts removed after the 21-year-old victim allegedly posted another series of status updates to Facebook.

Soatini entered the home through the unlocked front door before confronting the man in his bedroom.

Reremata Soatini, 36, of Blacktown, pleaded guilty at Penrith Local Court on Friday to domestic violence-related reckless wounding. Picture: Nathan Schmidt

“On the way, Soatini picked up a household iron from the kitchen,” agreed police facts reveal.

“Using her right arm, she swung the iron at the victim and struck his head two times.

“The force used by Soatini caused the iron to break.”

First trying to defend himself, the victim then grappled Soatini in the hallway.

During the melee Soatini grabbed a picture frame from the wall before again hitting the victim in the head in an “attempt to cause the victim to release her”. He retaliated by pinning her to the ground and punching her.

Shortly after, Soatini’s relative and driver entered the home upon hearing the commotion and ordered the victim to “let her go know”. Soatini suffered injuries to her head and neck, as well as a cut to her legs.

She later told police she had wielded the iron out of fear for her safety, and alleged the man had been violent to members of her family before. The victim has not been charged in relation to the melee.

The court heard the victim suffered two 2-3cm lacerations as well as minor lacerations to his torso and back, which were treated by NSW Ambulance paramedics before he was transported to Blacktown Hospital.

Soatini’s lawyer said the injuries, while serious, were not going to be “longstanding” issues.

He also argued Soatini had been motivated out fear her family would find out about the posts.

“Soatini comes from a conservative family in the Cook Islands – her father is a minister,” Soatini’s lawyer said.

“The disseminating of online messages was quite concerning. She had been alerted by family back home.”

Soatini admitted she had been using meth “every few days” at the time of the attack.

Since then, she had almost completed a 12-month rehabilitation program before running out of funds.

In sentencing, Magistrate Gregory Moore acknowledged Soatini had a limited criminal history and had made admissions to police on her arrest. She had also supplied clothing traced by detectives in their investigation.

Magistrate Moore sentenced Soatini to two-year community corrections order.