Ashley Sarah Woods pleads guilty to assault after bashing her sister

A mother-of-two risked her career and severed her family ties after she unleashed a violent attack on her sister.

A family has been ripped apart after tension between two sisters spilt into violence at a South Mackay home.

Property left uncovered in the backyard sparked a shocking attack on May 7 when Ashley Sarah Woods bashed her sister, risking her career as an adult and youth carer and severing her family.

The sisters had been sharing a duplex and had argued two days before the assault.

Prosecutor Sergeant Jay Merchant said the victim, Jessica Woods, had moved her sister’s items including a mower, whipper snipper and tall cabinet from the shed to the other side of the backyard of the Kippen St home.

Ashley Sarah Woods avoid a conviction being recorded after she repeatedly punched her sister.

When Ashley Woods returned home and saw her stuff, she banged on her sister’s door accusing her of “not caring about her kid’s safety” by leaving the items in the yard.

Mackay Magistrates Court heard the pair said “nasty things” to each other before Jessica Woods screaming “I’m done, as soon as the lease is over I’m leaving. I’ll stay on my side, you stay on your side, there’s no need to see each other”.

As she was shouting at her sister, Ashley Woods pushed her with both hands before the two scuffled resulting in Jessica Woods falling to the ground.

Sergeant Merchant said at this point Ashley Woods “punched her to the head multiple times”.

The 39 year old disability worker, who has no criminal history, pleaded guilty to assault occasioning bodily harm.

In a victim impact statement read to the court, Jessica Woods said her injuries, which included swelling to her face, “do not compare to the emotional and mental stress” and she had sought counselling since the attack.

“I have had sleeping problems and just cry when I have flashbacks of the assault,” she said.

Ashley Sarah Woods pleaded guilty in Mackay Magistrates Court to assault over bashing her sister at South Mackay

“I could not feel safe at home even with all the windows and doors locked, if I saw a shadow from the corner of my eye I would cower.

“I stopped using the clothesline because I had a panic attack at the thought of being in the open alone.

“The damage done is irreparable and the whole family is impacted. We will never again be all together for anything.”

Defence solicitor Ash Reynolds said her client, a single mother of two, and sister had since moved out of the duplex.

The court heard Ashley Woods’ blue card had been suspended but Acting Magistrate Athol Kennedy said he did not intend to record a conviction.

He accepted the assault was “entirely uncharacteristic”.

“And she’s extremely remorseful,” Ms Reynolds said.

“This realistically started over nothing,” Mr Kennedy said.

“Families are important. At the end of the day, you will have friends come and go but over your lifetime, you only ever have one family.”

Ashley Woods was given 12 months probation and ordered to pay $350 compensation. A conviction was not recorded.

QUEENSLAND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SERVICES

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Originally published as Ashley Sarah Woods pleads guilty to assault after bashing her sister