Ashea May Catlin facing assault causing bodily harm charges over alleged attack outside Gallery Lounge and Bar

Ashea May Catlin’s alleged assault case was stopped in the middle of proceedings after the presiding judge found the story “gratuitous”. Find out why he paused the court.

An alleged gruesome attack outside a nightclub may put a young Mackay woman in jail.

Ashea May Catlin pleaded guilty on Wednesday to assault causing bodily harm after allegedly dragging another woman to the ground by her hair and punching her in the head.

The alleged incident occurred on December 15, 2021, outside The Gallery Lounge and Bar on Victoria Street at 2am.

Crown prosecutor Harry Coburn told Mackay Magistrates Court Catlin allegedly stopped her victim from walking to a taxi, pushing her in the chest three times before punching her in the side of the head.

Ashea May Catlin was charged with assault causing bodily harm after an alleged attack on woman outside The Gallery Lounge and Bar in Mackay. Picture: Contributed

He said Catlin then allegedly grabbed the victim’s hair with both hands, dragging her to the ground on the pavement.

Mr Coburn said the accused then allegedly punched the victim seven times in quick succession.

Mackay Magistrate Damien Dwyer interrupted Crown prosecutor Harry Coburn during his statement and said Catlin, who was defending herself, should get some legal advice.

“Just one moment … Ms Catlin, I think you’ve got to go and get some (legal) advice,” he said.

“Your liberty may well be in jeopardy.

“You might be going to prison.”

Ashea May Catlin was charged with assault causing bodily harm after an alleged attack on a woman outside the Gallery Bar and Lounge in Mackay. Picture: Contributed

After a brief adjournment for Catlin to speak with a lawyer, she returned to the courtroom and said she could not afford legal advice.

Mr Dwyer offered Catlin the free services of the duty lawyer at the courthouse, but she refused.

“I’ll give you one last chance to get someone because this is just gratuitous, attacking a stranger in the streets of Mackay in the wee hours of the morning,” he said.

Mr Coburn told the court the victim was not known to Catlin and the attack was unprovoked, but she disputed that statement, and said she had been provoked inside the bar.

“She’s not a stranger, she’s very much known to me,” she said.

“It was provoked while we were inside the nightclub.”

Mr Dwyer said he would adjourn the matter for two weeks for Catlin to receive legal advice at a free clinic.

“Again, that means you may well have a defence,” he said.

“Legal Aid has free clinics, would you like me to adjourn so you can go and attend one of those?

“They have one or two a week, go and book yourself into one.”

The matter was adjourned until January 19.

Originally published as Ashea May Catlin facing assault causing bodily harm charges over alleged attack outside Gallery Lounge and Bar