Tanaeyah Cooke sentenced for ‘spontaneous’ Mr Crown, Wollongong assault

A woman who brutally bashed another with an alcohol bottle at a popular Wollongong nightclub more than two years ago has been sentenced for the “spontaneous” and “unprovoked” attack.

Tanaeyah Cooke assaulted the woman at Mr Crown in Wollongong. Picture: File

A woman who hit another over the head with an alcohol bottle at a popular Wollongong nightclub has been sentenced for the brutal bashing.

Tanaeyah Cooke, 21, appeared in Wollongong District Court on Friday for sentencing after she assaulted the woman at Mr Crown on Crown St, Wollongong, on the evening of February 25, 2023.

The Ingleburn woman was originally charged with and pleaded not guilty to wounding a person with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, but was instead found guilty of the lesser charge – recklessly causing grievous bodily harm – at a two-day judge-along trial in the same court last week.

Court documents state Cooke, who was aged 18 at the time, attacked the woman while at Mr Crown, hitting her over head with a bottle of alcohol which knocked her unconscious.

As the woman fell, Cooke hit her again with another punch.

Tanaeyah Cooke was sentenced in Wollongong District Court on Friday. Picture: Dylan Arvela

Police patrolling the popular nightclub strip in the coastal town’s CBD came to the scene before the woman was rushed to Wollongong Hospital.

In a victim impact statement read to the court by the complainant one day before judgment was handed down by Judge Andrew Haesler, she said her memory was skewed from severe brain damage, which now made her life difficult.

“I was forced to have surgery, forced to have seven teeth dislodged from my jaw,” she said.

“Brain injuries do not just affect your life or memory, but they affect your ability and they affect the life you live until you die.

“From this day, I have been dealing with the ramifications of somebody else’s actions.”

Following the attack, Cooke was arrested, but granted bail, which she remained on during her trial and sentence.

In submissions before judgement, Cooke’s defence barrister Adam Booker submitted the attack fell in the mid range of seriousness.

He did however concede the injuries sustained were “serious”.

In an interview with police, Cooke justified her brutal attack on the complainant allegedly hitting their pregnant friend.

But Judge Haesler said there was no evidence this was the case as he handed down judgment, instead labelling the assault an “unexpected” blow.

“Cooke held a bottle in her hand and she used the bottle,” he said.

“The blow was spontaneous and unprovoked.”

Judge Haesler noted Cooke’s minimal criminal history before revealing her sentence.

Cooke was ultimately convicted and sentenced to a one year and 10 month intensive correction order, and ordered to complete rehabilitation.

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