Thomas West Worrigal pleaded guilty to deprivation of liberty and assault occasioning bodily harm

Fearing a family member was in danger, a young mum took matters into her own hands, kidnapping two men and assaulting one of them with a metal bar.

Thomas West Worrigal, 24, pleaded guilty to two counts of deprivation of liberty and one count of assault occasioning bodily harm when she faced Maryborough Magistrates Court on Monday.

A young mum felt she was acting to protect a family member when she embarked on a night of violence with a co-accused, including using a metal bar to strike a man in the leg.

Thomas West Worrigal, 24, pleaded guilty to two counts of deprivation of liberty and one count of assault occasioning bodily harm when she faced Maryborough Magistrates Court on Monday.

The court heard the incidents happened on April 5, 2024, in Mundubbera with an alleged co-accused.

Police prosecutor Sergeant Balam Selvadurai said about 1am the co-accused was allegedly driving along a street when he stopped and “invited the victim to talk to him” before pushing him up against another vehicle.

Details of another male person were then provided, the court heard.

The alleged co-accused then drove off, but later returned and forced the man to get into his car.

The victim then saw Worrigal in the passenger seat, the court heard.

She got out of the vehicle and “touched an unknown implement to the victim’s back to make sure he entered the vehicle against his will”, Sgt Selvadurai said.

The co-accused then allegedly drove off and went to the other man’s house.

When they arrived at the other man’s house, the partner of the first man tried to contact him by phone, but Worrigal snatched it from his hand.

At the second victim’s house, Worrigal was again in possession of an unknown implement, Sgt Selvadurai said.

The second victim was then allegedly grabbed by the throat and forced over the bonnet of a vehicle by the co-accused, the court heard.

The victims were then made to get into the car against their will and the defendant slapped one of the victim’s five to seven times.

She turned to the other man and told him to shut up, threatening to “flog the f**k out of you with this bar”.

Thomas West Worrigal, 24, pleaded guilty to two counts of deprivation of liberty and one count of assault occasioning bodily harm when she faced Maryborough Magistrates Court on Monday.

Worrigal then struck one of the victims on the leg with an iron bar and said, “you’re both dead, you’re not going home”.

The co-accused then allegedly drove the vehicle out of town for a short time before returning to the second man’s home.

The first victim was then driven to his home address.

The co-accused was allegedly heard saying “I’m f**ked, I’m going to jail for this”, the court heard.

On April 22, 2024, police spoke to Worrigal about the incident.

She took part in an interview with police, but claimed the victims had accompanied them of their own accord.

Worrigal also denied having been armed, Sgt Selvadurai said.

The court heard one of the victims suffered slight bruising to the leg as a result of the incident.

Sgt Selvadurai said the incident seemed to be out of character for Worrigal.

Defence lawyer Mark Riedel said Worrigal was one of 16 children, with some of her siblings being half siblings.

He said Worrigal had attended school until Year 10 and had then started working, including as a cafe and doing some modelling.

Worrigal had two young children, Mr Riedel said.

Mr Riedel said on the night of the incident, Worrigal had been attempting to assist a family member who she thought might be in danger.

Magistrate John Milburn said Worrigal had become involved in “serious criminal activity” for effectively her first offending.

He said he considered her actions to be out of character, motivated by a desire to “take matters into your own hands in some way”.

Mr Milburn said she had deprived two people of their liberty and assaulted one of them using a weapon.

He said the injury had been quite minor, resulting in some bruising.

Worrigal was sentenced to two years on probation and no convictions were recorded.

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Originally published as Thomas West Worrigal pleaded guilty to deprivation of liberty and assault occasioning bodily harm