Laidley’s Emily Louise Brown sentenced over vigilante group assault on ex-boyfriend

A South East Queensland teen orchestrated and filmed a violent assault on her ex-boyfriend, who was bashed by two men with a glass bottle and left with broken teeth, a court has heard.

Two young men spent over a year in custody after a teenage girl enlisted them to violently assault her ex in a vigilante-style ambush that left him with shattered teeth, a court has heard.

An Ipswich teenager orchestrated and filmed a violent assault on her ex-boyfriend, who was bashed with a glass bottle and left with broken teeth after the vigilante-style ambush.

Emily Louise Brown, 19 of Laidley, and Jackson Anthony Michael Carroll, 26 of Toowoomba, both pleaded guilty to assault occasioning bodily harm while armed and in company.

Their co-accused Lee Paul Middleton, 19 of Gatton, pleaded guilty to armed robbery in company while armed (using personal violence), along with two counts of supplying schedule one drugs, and one count each of supplying schedule two dangerous drugs, possessing dangerous drugs, and possessing drug utensils.

Crown prosecutor Alex Baker said Brown had been the “instigator” to the “premeditated assault” against her ex-boyfriend on September 3, 2022.

Ms Baker said the man had met with Brown on that day to “talk” and Brown had driven them to the lagoon area in Laidley.

The court heard Carroll and Middleton hid in the boot of the car while three other young people waited for their arrival.

Carroll and Middleton were then let out of the boot, both armed with knives.

Carroll yelled out that he was going to stab the victim, but neither Middleton or Carroll actually used the knives against the victim.

“(The victim) tried to get away … he was chased down and ultimately assaulted in a quite protracted way,” Ms Baker said.

The victim had jumped over a fence to get away but was brought to the ground and repeatedly kicked and struck while he tried to protect his face, the court heard.

Ms Brown filmed part of the assault on Middleton’s phone, which was played in court.

The video showed multiple individuals kicking the victim in the head and Carroll striking him with a glass bottle.

The assault ended only when another person approached, the court heard.

Ms Baker said the victim suffered “relatively minor” injuries “considering the ferocity of the assault”, including broken front teeth, a sprained wrist, cuts and bruising.

Judge Benedict Power, KC, said the shattered teeth were “quite disfiguring” and could be expensive to fix.

The court heard both Brown and Carroll lied during their interviews with police.

Both Carroll and Middleton had been remanded in custody for over a year since their arrest.

Emily Louise Brown, 19 of Laidley, outside Ipswich Court on September 29, 2023

Ms Baker said two co-accused, aged 19 and 20, were sentenced to two years’ probation for assault occasioning bodily harm while armed for their involvement.

Defence barrister Dan Boddice said Middleton had very limited criminal history and now had employment prospects as an apprentice painter.

He had struggled with homelessness and drug addiction, the court heard.

Middleton was charged with the robbery for taking the victim’s phone, which Mr Boddice said was opportunistic and not premeditated.

Judge Power acknowledged Middleton was influenced by Brown’s perception that the victim was a “wrongdoer”.

He said Middleton would never get his 18th year back and accepted he likely would not have served so much time in custody if he had been sentenced earlier.

Defence barrister Scott Neaves said his client, Carroll, had a continuing offer of employment with a timber and landscape supplies company.

Judge Power told Carroll: “People have died from brain aneurisms from being struck with bottles … it’s very lucky that it wasn’t worse in this case”.

Defence barrister Allana Davie said her client, Brown, had “quite a constellation of issues that she needs to deal with” including a number of mental health disorders.

Ms Davie said her client also had issues with drugs which had worsened her mental health difficulties.

Judge Power accepted Brown was a “mentally vulnerable person who made very very poor decisions”.

“That has had some very profound consequences for those young men who spent the last 13 months in custody,” he said.

“You obviously were angry with the complainant – he might have done things wrong to you – but you need to seek the support of your family who might then give you the strength to go to police.”

“Whatever (the victim) may or may not have done, this vigilantism is something that aggravates the offending significantly.”

However Judge Power said Brown should be given “one final chance” at not having a conviction recorded due to her young age.

Brown was sentenced to two years’ probation. No convictions were recorded.

Middleton was sentenced to two and a half years’ jail with immediate parole release.

Her 390 days spent in presentence custody were declared as time served.

Carroll was sentenced to 390 days’ jail, with 390 days in presentence custody declared as time served.

Originally published as Laidley’s Emily Louise Brown sentenced over vigilante group assault on ex-boyfriend