Zoe Maree Heaton: Hornsby woman sentenced for reckless wounding, drug supply

A teenage bartender was told her criminal record resembled that of “someone completely out of control” as she was sentenced after a violent episode, involving a knife and an ex-boyfriend.

A teenage bartender was told her criminal record resembled that of “someone completely out of control” as she fronted court after a violent episode, involving a knife and an ex-boyfriend.

Zoe Maree Heaton, 19, of Hornsby, will spend at least the next nine months behind bars after pleading guilty to a raft of offences including reckless wounding, assault and drug supply.

Documents tendered to Hornsby Local Court reveal how Heaton, who was already on a community corrections order (CCO), had found herself facing a prison sentence.

On August 8 the teenager, armed with a knife, arranged to meet with her ex-boyfriend at a Waitara service station so he could return a car he had borrowed from her dad.

The ex-boyfriend was accompanied by another young woman who Heaton started to attack when she saw her, a court heard.

Zoe Heaton leaving Downing Court.

During the assault, the knife fell from Heaton’s waistband.

“(The young woman) attempted to push the knife away and in the process cut her thumb. This caused a deep laceration,” agreed police facts state.

Heaton was sentenced at Hornsby Local Court. Picture: Matthew Vasilescu.

In Hornsby Local Court on Wednesday Magistrate Margaret McGlynn said the 19-year-old already had a lengthy criminal history.

The court heard Heaton was also being sentenced for possessing 2000 Xanax tablets and 783 valium tablets. She had also pleaded guilty to sending a message which stated: “If you snitch, you’re f**ked”.

Heaton’s lawyer told the court the offences were very serious but her client had pleaded guilty at the first available opportunity and suffered from intergenerational family trauma.

The 19-year-old was also protected from her ex-boyfriend by an apprehended domestic violence order (ADVO) and had told police she armed herself with the knife because she was afraid of him.

But Magistrate McGlynn said the central point of concern was the community’s protection.

“You’re a young woman and this is the record of someone completely out of control,” she said.

Referencing the reckless wounding charge, which was in breach of a community corrections order, she added: “That particular set of offences … is quite mind blowing”.

Heaton was convicted and sentenced to two years jail with a non-parole period of 10 months for possession of a restricted substance, drug supply, reckless wounding and being armed with the intention of committing an indictable offence.

The 19-year-old had also pleaded guilty to entering a building with the intention of committing an indictable offence and two counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm. For these offences, her former community corrections order (CCO) was revoked and she was placed on a fresh two-year community corrections order (CCO).

Her family, who were present in the courtroom, cried as her sentence was handed down.