Meet some of Wide Bay-Burnett’s most badly behaved parents of 2023
From inciting their children to assault police to using a child’s scooter in a road rage incident and drug dealing, here are some of the worst examples of Wide Bay-Burnett parents behaving badly.
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From drug dealing to inciting children to assault police and using a scooter in a road rage incident, meet the Wide Bay Burnett parents whose bad behaviour landed them in court in 2023.
Kimberley Jane Burns
A Bundaberg mother of five threatened a man with a knife while he was sitting on her couch next to her daughter.
Kimberley Jane Burns, 38, pleaded guilty in Bundaberg District Court on August 30, 2023 to a string of charges including one count of armed robbery in company with personal violence, one count of public nuisance, one count of contravening direction or requirements from police; an evasion offence, and three counts of driving without a licence disqualified by a court order.
The court heard Burns had a “propensity for violence” including previous convictions for assault occasioning bodily harm and assaulting police.
On this occasion, Crown prosecutor Ryan Minuti told the court Burns and a co-offender had “lured” their victim to her home on the premise of a “casual meet up” in January 2023, only to “ambush” the man as soon as he entered the house.
The court heard Burns told the man “you won’t f--k with me again” before flicking him in the face with a large knife which caused a small cut.
When Burns’ co-accused grabbed the knife and made a stabbing motion towards the man, Burns said “don’t stab him here, my daughter is right here on the couch”.
After begging for his life, the man was able to leave the house and call police, who arrested Burns the same day.
Burns was sentenced to two years in jail for the robbery charge, with a parole date of November 29, 2023.
Convictions were recorded.
Natasha Rose Smallwood
A Kingaroy mother used her child’s scooter as a weapon to attack a car for failing to give way at an intersection.
Around six weeks after smashing the windscreen of a car parked in front of her brother’s house, the Kingaroy Magistrates Court heard Natasha Rose Smallwood smashed the side window of a Toyota Prado with her child’s scooter in a Kingaroy street.
The court heard Smallwood claimed she damaged the vehicle because the driver failed to give way to her and her children at the pedestrian crossing.
Smallwood’s defence lawyer told the court her client had been “effectively homeless” for the 17 months prior to the hearing, and had been couch surfing and staying in motels with her five children.
Smallwood was convicted after pleading guilty in Kingaroy Magistrates Court on January 12, 2023 to two charges of wilful damage to vehicles and sentenced to 12 months probation with the condition she attend anger management counselling.
Convictions were recorded.
Shane Rhind
A father of four incited his children to punch and bite police officers while he twisted one of the officer’s testicles.
Appearing before Bundaberg Magistrates Court on July 29th, 2023, the court heard that when police arrived at Rhind’s Monto home in response to reports of a disturbance, his wife warned them not to approach because Rhind had guns in the house.
Concerned for the welfare of Rhind’s four children, the police officers forced their way into the house and attempted to restrain Rhind.
While struggling with the officers, Rhind grabbed one of them by the testicles and twisted them, causing the officer severe pain.
The court heard Rhind then urged his children to assault the officers, saying “smash them and hurt them” and “look what the police have done to me, they’ve punched me, they’re going to take me away”.
In response, Rhind’s children repeatedly punched, kicked and attempted to bite the police officers, and threw chairs, medicine bottles and other objects at them.
As police were walking Rhind outside towards their car, Rhind’s daughter came out of the house carrying a hammer which she used to hit the front and rear of the vehicle before she was restrained by one of the officers.
Representing himself, Rhind told the court his children “lost it” when they saw him rendered unconscious by the police officers’ attempt to restrain him.
Judge John McInnes saw mitigation in Rhind’s early guilty plea and the fact that Rhind has four young children, and gave him a 12-month suspended sentence for three counts of obstruct police officer and one count of conduct causing a public nuisance and serious assault – assault police officer.
Convictions were recorded.
Krystle Geraldin Fleming
A mother of two children, one of whom has special needs, kept drugs in her home while receiving a carer’s benefit.
Appearing before Maryborough Magistrates Court on September 15, 2023, the court was told that police found one gram of cannabis, 1.03 grams of MDMA and a pipe when they raided Krystle Geraldin Fleming’s home in May 2023.
The court heard Fleming had a young daughter with special needs as well as a young son, and was receiving a carer’s benefit so was abe to pay a fine.
Fleming pleaded guilty and was convicted of possessing utensils or pipes used in connection with a drug and two counts of possessing dangerous drugs, and fined $800.
Convictions were recorded.
Mele Lineti Sanipepa Cross
A Mundubbera mother of three children collected more than $60,000 a year in Centrelink payments while dealing drugs to around 40 clients across the Burnett.
Appearing before Bundaberg Supreme Court on February 14th, 2023, the court heard Mele Lineti Sanipepa Cross earned an estimated $100,000 while dealing meth and cannabis over a 14-month period while feeding her own drug habits.
Cross also claimed $60,000 in sole parent payments from Centrelink while living in a house she shared with her husband and three children.
The court heard Cross had shown academic promise as a child, and was a gifted musician who gained entry to a high school with a specialised music curriculum.
Cross’ life started to go off the rails at the age of 11, when her two oldest brothers were killed in a hit and run incident, a crime which remained unsolved, and lost most of family in a Brisbane house fire that killed 11 people.
Following these tragic experiences, the court heard Cross suffered from “survivors guilt” and began to use drugs recreationally while studying on a scholarship at Griffith University.
Cross pleaded guilty to charges of drug trafficking and theft and was sentenced to five years’ imprisonment, wholly suspended, and convictions were recorded.
Daniel Wilfred George Turcan
While visiting his parents, a Bundaberg father threw an ignited can of fuel at her neighbour’s home because they had verbally abused his teenage son.
Appearing before Bundaberg Magistrates Court on July 11, 2023, the court heard Daniel Wilfred George Turcan was visiting his parents when the neighbours abused his teenage son for taking a shortcut across their property.
The court heard the following day Turcan, in a state of alcohol-fuelled aggression, tossed a can of fuel which he had ignited with a soaked rag over the fence at the neighbour’s home.
Turcan’s mother quickly intervened and extinguished the fire with a garden hose, limiting the damage to minor charring of a stump on the home.
Magistrate John McInnes said Turcan was “fortunate” his mother had put out the blaze as “this sort of offending can very easily, even for young first time offenders, end in terms in jail”.
Turcan pleaded guilty and was convicted of one count of unlawful dealing with explosives or noxious substances and received six months probation.
No conviction was recorded.
Sky Samantha McKenzie
A teenage mother kicked, bit and spat at security officers and police while out on the town at a Bundaberg nightclub.
Appearing before Bundaberg Magistrates Court on October 24, 2023, the court heard Sky Samantha McKenzie was intoxicated at Bundaberg’s Central Hotel when she was asked by security to leave the premises soon after midnight.
McKenzie refused to leave, kicking at the legs of one security officer and biting the arm of another when he put her into a “bear hug”.
Once outside, McKenzie went on “abhorrent” tirade, yelling at club attendees and pedestrians before police arrived.
When police tried to arrest McKenzie she wrapped her legs around a street pole while yelling obscenities at them including “I hope you f---ing die c —t”.
The court heard as officers untangled her from the pole and placed her in the car, the 19-year-old spat at them.
McKenzie’s defence lawyer told the court she had been prescribed medication for anxiety and depression prior to the offending, and had been advised not to drink alcohol on the medication.
McKenzie pleaded guilty and was sentenced to three months jail, wholly suspended for nine months for serious assault, placed on two years probation for assault occasioning bodily harm, six months probation for common assault, convicted and not further punished for failing to leave the pub and sentenced to 60 hour community service for each charge of public nuisance and obstructing police.
Convictions were recorded.
Laikin Emily Judith Bond
The mother of two young children brazenly stole $355 worth of groceries from a supermarket two months after being found with drugs in her possession.
Appearing before Maryborough Magistrates Court on August 31, 2023, the court heard that police pulled over Laikin Emily Judith Bond in April 2023 for driving while disqualified when they found a cannabis grinder and 1.39 grams of the drug in her handbag.
In June, Bond and an associate went through the self-checkout at Maryborough’s Woolworths supermarket without paying for a large amount of the items in their trolley.
When supermarket staff spoke to the two women and asked them to provide proof of purchase, they pushed past the staff members and left the store.
Police were called to the scene, who found Bond and her associate in the supermarket car park.
Bond’s defence lawyer told the court she had two young children and was receiving the single parent payment from Centrelink.
Bond pleaded guilty and was convicted on charges of possessing dangerous drugs, possessing drug utensils, disqualified driving and stealing, and was fined $1700 and disqualified from driving for three years.
Convictions were recorded.
Todd Lloyd McMahon
A single dad, whose lawyer claimed he “doesn’t really drink”, got into a roiling fight at a Gin Gin pub that lasted for several minutes and left a “pool of blood” on the floor.
Appearing before Bundaberg Magistrates Court on May 24, 2023, the court heard Todd Lloyd McMahon got involved in a fight with another man in the beer garden of a Gin Gin Hotel around 2am.
After McMahon left the scene police arrived at the hotel and reported seeing a “pool of blood” on the floor near the pool table inside the pub.
A short time later, police located McMahon with blood on his hands and knuckles and an open wound on his face around one of his eyes.
In another incident two months later, police observed McMahon walking towards a park from the Highway Hotel while carrying and consuming alcohol.
When approached by police, McMahon asked them “what do you want you c--t?’.
On further questioning, McMahon said words to the effect of “I don’t really give a f--k anymore”, following which he was placed under arrest and moved into a police vehicle.
The court heard that during the struggles with police McMahon lifted his leg in an “apparent attempt to kick” a police officer.
McMahon’s lawyer told the court her client “doesn’t really drink at all”, and the two days in which he committed the offences before the court were the only times that he had been drunk this year.
The court heard McMahon was a single father raising a child with no assistance from his ex-partner, and was “embarrassed and remorseful” for his actions.
Magistrate Edwina Rowan said while it was commendable McMahon was supporting his child as a single father, he needed to be the “best possible example for (his child) into the future”.
McMahon pleaded guilty and was convicted of two counts of commit public nuisance within a licensed premises and one count of obstructing a police officer and sentenced to a period of probation for six months.
Convictions were recorded.
Alicia Jill McDonald
A mother and Westpac bank employee defrauded four customers of more than $176,000 and used the stolen funds to pay for holidays, hair appointments and even a Harley Davidson motorbike.
Appearing before Gympie District Court on October 19, the court heard Alicia Jill McDonald, 35, stole the money in 120 separate transactions from four customers over a 14-month period from March 2018 to May 2019.
The mother of three including a newborn used the money at hair salons and licensed premises, on holidays, to buy jewellery and toys, and to help with obtaining finance for the purchase of a 2009 Harley Davidson and a 2014 Suzuki car.
The court heard McDonald had been diagnosed with depression and PTSD, and was in an abusive relationship.
McDonald had pleaded guilty to two counts of fraud, in May 2023, with her sentencing being delayed due to her being pregnant at the time.
She was sentenced to four-and-a-half years’ jail, to be suspended for five years after she served 12 months.
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Originally published as Meet some of Wide Bay-Burnett’s most badly behaved parents of 2023
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