Rita Jackie: Yarralin aged care worker bashed, glassed partner who subjected her to violence

A Victoria Daly mother-of-six snapped after a day of drinking at Palmerston, responding to being woken by her abusive partner with a blistering attack, a court has heard.

Yarralin woman Rita Jackie, 54. Picture: Facebook

A Victoria Daly mother-of-six snapped after a day of drinking at Palmerston, responding to being woken by her abusive partner with a blistering attack, a court has heard.

Yarralin woman Rita Jackie, 54, was sentenced in the Supreme Court of the Northern Territory recently after pleading guilty to a count of unlawfully causing serious harm to her partner, known as RS.

Justice Judith Kelly AO sentenced Jackie to three years’ imprisonment, wholly suspended for an operational period of three years, during which she would be under the supervision of Community Corrections.

She would also not be able to purchase and consume alcohol during this period.

The court was told Jackie attacked RS on the afternoon of February 4 2023, after the pair had been drinking together at the Palmerston Water Tower.

After RS tapped Jackie on the feet to “wake her up,” the defendant flew into a rage, standing up and punching the prone RS twice.

Jackie then retrieved a glass bottle from a nearby bin and struck RS on the arm, before an unidentified person confiscated it off her.

Rita Jackie and RS were drinking at Palmerston Water Tower when their afternoon turned violent. Picture: File

Jackie returned to the bin and armed herself with the bottle again, taking it to Goyder Square, with RS following “for some reason or other,” Justice Kelly said.

Jackie then smashed the bottle on a concrete bench and menaced him.

The court was told RS threw something at Jackie, prompting her to slash at his head and right arm.

Police and paramedics were called.

Jackie was arrested, spending four days in pre-sentence custody, while RS required four days of treatment, including surgery, at the Royal Darwin Hospital.

RS has since died, the court heard, with his death unrelated to the assault.

Justice Kelly found that Jackie had good prospects of rehabilitation.

She had an impressive work history, with lengthy employment stints at Victoria Daly Regional Council and Yarralin School.

Jackie remains employed at the council’s Yarralin Walangeri Aged Care Service.

She also had important family responsibilities, with two dependent children and 10 grandchildren she helped provide care for.

Ordinarily, Jackie would have been required to serve a minimum of 12 months of her three-year sentence, but Justice Kelly found there were exceptional circumstances in the case.

Chief among them was the the court’s finding of appalling domestic violence RS had subjected Jackie to over a period of at least 18 years.

He attacked her variously with rocks, weapons, and steel cap boots, the court heard.

Jackie also lacked a violent past, with only one dated criminal conviction for aggravated assault on her record.