Dalby mother fronts court for encouraging children’s fight in McDonalds carpark

A mother who encouraged her child daughter to take part in a physical fight in the Dalby McDonald’s carpark by setting it up ‘like a boxing match’ has been berated for her actions in court.

Dalby mother fronts court for encouraging children’s fight in McDonalds carpark Photo Will Hunter / Dalby Herald

A woman has fronted a Western Downs court after CCTV showed her encouraging children to fight in a public car park and setting it up in a “boxing match” style manner.

The mother, who cannot be named to protect the identity of her children, appeared in Dalby Magistrates Court on September 26 after she was exposed for promoting physical assaults among her kids on multiple occasions.

Police prosecutor Chris Hutchins said the 39-year-old’s child daughter was preparing to take part in an “organised” fight with another girl over a vape on May 13.

“(The mother) goaded the juvenile into fighting,” Sergeant Hutchins said.

“(The girl) took off two of her tops in preparation for the fight to begin, when (the mother) took them off her and placed them on her vehicle nearby.”

Sergeant Hutchins said when the woman’s daughter began to lose the fight, the woman stepped in and grabbed both girls wrists’ putting them up before dropping them, signalling for the fight to start over.

In a separate occasion the woman and her juvenile sister drove to Charles St in Dalby where the child got out of the vehicle and approached the victim’s gate calling the person out to fight.

The court was told the woman remained in the vehicle but also called out the victim’s name and referred to them as a “child basher”.

“These public nuisance offences are quite significant and serious,” Sergeant Hutchins said.

“Encouraging children to fight almost like a boxing match and stepping in like a ring master and then driving people to right – it’s not something a 40-year-old should be doing.”

Defence lawyer Michael McElhinney said his client accepted her involvement and knows she shouldn’t have gotten involved in her daughter’s argument.

Acting magistrate Michael Bice queried the woman’s behaviour.

“I can’t even understand why you would do that,” he said.

The woman pleaded guilty to counts of public nuisance and one count of contravening an order given by a police officer.

She was fined $800.

Originally published as Dalby mother fronts court for encouraging children’s fight in McDonalds carpark