Southern Downs woman pleads not guilty to two counts of assault occasioning bodily harm whilst armed in Warwick District Court

A Southern Downs mum has pleaded not guilty after a man allegedly recorded evidence of her assaulting two children, in a brutal assault which caused ‘bruising and welts’.

A Southern Downs mother has plead not guilty to assaulting her two children in 2022. (Photo: NRM)

A Southern Downs mum allegedly assaulted two children, with a jury told the ordeal was captured on harrowing audio recordings.

The woman pleaded not guilty in Warwick District Court on October 31 to two charges of assault occasioning bodily harm whiled armed.

The Crown will allege the mother assaulted the two boys who were both aged under 10 at the time of alleged offending in October 2022.

Crown prosecutor James Coghlan said the alleged assault happened on October 20 after the woman “let the anger get the better of her”.

“The two alleged victims - then aged 9 and 7 years old - were being spoken to by (the woman) about ‘being respectful’,” the Crown detailed in their opening.

The two children then began to laugh which “angered” the woman.

“The two boys tried to hide but heard rattling and were fearful,” Mr Coghlan said.

The woman grabbed one boy and allegedly stuck him once with a belt “so hard it left welts”.

Then, grabbing the second boy, she allegedly “struck him twice and the metal buckle connected with the skin, leaving a bruise”.

The Southern Downs mother outside Warwick District Court on October 31, 2024. (Photo: NRM)

Mr Coghlan said the children’s father - who was in the bathroom at the time of the alleged offending - recorded an audio record of the woman screaming at the children, and took photos of the injuries, which would be shown to the jury during the trial.

Defence barrister Russell Pearce said it was “common ground” that the woman used the strap on the two boys.

“It is recognised that parents can use corporal punishment to discipline children, and what she was doing was disciplining children,” Mr Pearce said.

“It’s not her finest or proudest moment what you will hear on that tape,” he said referring to the audio recording.

“She was trying to manage and control children.... but was it clearly discipline and reasonable.

“What she did was lawful.”

The trial continues under Judge Craig Chowdhury and the jury of five men and seven women on Friday.

Originally published as Southern Downs woman pleads not guilty to two counts of assault occasioning bodily harm whilst armed in Warwick District Court