Danielle Leigh Kennedy sentenced in Townsville Magistrates Court for smashing her neighbours window

A mother of six said she would rather go to jail than spend a single dollar paying for the damage she caused to her neighbour’s car. Find out why she claimed to be the real victim in the dispute.

Danielle Leigh Kennedy was sentenced in Townsville Magistrates Court for smashing her neighbours window with a can of beans

A feud between a mother of six and her neighbour, whom she labelled a “drug dealer,” turned destructive after she allowed her children to throw cans of baked beans over the back fence, shattering windows and pot plants.

Danielle Leigh Kennedy told the Townsville Magistrates Court that she would rather go to jail than pay a single dollar in compensation to her neighbour for the damage she had caused to her property.

Police prosecutor Tim Madsen stated that in the early months of this year, Kennedy had smashed her neighbour’s car window with a glass bottle, shattered her bedroom window and potted plants with cans of beans, thrown rubbish into her yard, and called her a “slut.”

Kennedy, who represented herself in court, alleged that her neighbour dealt drugs and continually stole from her home while she was at work, including her battery from her ride-on lawnmower and her security cameras.

Danielle Leigh Kennedy was sentenced in Townsville Magistrates Court for smashing her neighbours window with a can of beans.

“On numerous occasions they have thrown beer bottles … and the police never come when I call,” she said.

“I said to my kids ‘go throw things back’ and my kids threw cans and one went through the window.”

The fishmonger told the court “I’m actually the victim here” after she found syringes in her backyard.

“I work hard at a stinky disgusting job to pay my bills and feed my kids … it’s long hours, it stinks and I come home and the things I have saved for are stolen,” Kennedy said.

“My taxpayer dollars fund her lifestyle so she can commit crimes.”

“I’m getting really annoyed with this ice epidemic and that I have to live in it.”

Magistrate Steven Mosch said the “tit for tat” feud was “not acceptable”.

“As I said earlier, the bottom line is two wrongs don't make a right,” he said.

“Frankly, at your age you should know better than to behave in this way in which some respects may be called childish.

“What you’re going to need to do is find a way to resolve this, other than behaving in this manner.”

Magistrate Mosch decided because there was no receipt of damage repairs provided by the neighbour, the two neighbours would have to organise payment between themselves.

Kennedy pleaded guilty to public nuisance, littering and wilful damage.

She was fined a total of $1000 for the wilful damage, $150 for littering and convicted and not further punished for the public nuisance.

Convictions were not recorded.

Originally published as Danielle Leigh Kennedy sentenced in Townsville Magistrates Court for smashing her neighbours window