Illawarra mum Emily Clifford learns fate for brawl outside Mr Crown bar

A single mother who struck multiple victims in a late-night fight in the Wollongong CBD has copped her punishment five months after initially being sent to jail.

Emily Clifford was sentenced in Wollongong District Court on Monday. Picture: Facebook

An Illawarra mother who spent three nights behind bars after being sentenced for her role in a violent brawl outside a popular bar has had the decision overturned on appeal.

Emily Clifford was sentenced by Magistrate Roger Prowse to 11 months in jail with a non-parole period of six months for affray in November, last year.

However, in Wollongong District Court on Monday, the 25-year-old’s prospects of prison time were quashed, with Judge Christopher O’Brien confirming the conviction and sentencing her to a two-year community correction order and 150 hours of community service.

Documents tendered in court stated Clifford was involved in a brawl shortly after 1am on Saturday, November 27, last year outside the city’s Mr Crown nightclub.

Clifford, who was wearing a beige top and dark pants, left the venue with her friend Shakiah Walker and her cousin Clinton Clifford, with the trio engaging in a verbal altercation with another group.

The documents stated Emily Clifford struck a man with her fist before punching and kicking another man who was also being assaulted by Walker.

The court heard Clinton Clifford retrieved a baseball bat from a nearby car which he used to strike another man in the brawl.

CCTV imagery of Emily Clifford being held back by security. Picture: Wollongong Police District

Security eventually broke up the altercation with Clifford and Walker fleeing the scene in a vehicle parked behind the Harp Hotel nearby.

The court heard from Emily Clifford‘s lawyer Caitlin Drabble on Monday, who said the two co-offenders had already been served their punishments.

Walker was hit with a two-year CCO while Clinton Clifford, who Ms Drabble submitted was the most serious of the offenders, was sentenced to a 17-month intensive corrections order and 100 hours of community service.

Ms Drabble also told the court Walker had been called a “black s**t” by one of the victims, shining a light on what kicked off the all-in fracas.

The court also heard the short period Clifford spent in prison overlapped with the death in custody of her friend, Patience Kuzmins.

Judge O‘Brien noted the death was before the coroner, however, he accepted it was a “tragedy” which made Clifford’s experience behind bars more onerous.

“The fact others behaved more appalling doesn’t lessen her conduct in any way,” Judge O’Brien said during sentencing.

The judge said he “pondered” where Clifford‘s child was when she was “well fed on liquor” and “punching on in Wollongong”, adding “perhaps she would have been better served caring for her child”.