Central QLD barmaid Megan Martin faces Biloela court after party punch-up

An off-duty Central Queensland barmaid who kept punching a woman she had thrown to the ground by her hair after a party, has faced court.

Megan Martin has faced Biloela court for assaulting a woman after a party in an alcohol-fuelled attack.

An off-duty Biloela barmaid continued punching a woman she had thrown to the ground, in an alcohol-fuelled attack after a party, a court has heard.

Megan Martin, 25, pleaded guilty in Biloela Magistrates Court on April 12 to assault occasioning bodily harm.

Police prosecutor Kelvin Boyd said on January 25, Martin and the female victim were at a party at the Biloela Bowls Club.

Mr Boyd said shortly after 11.45pm, the victim left the party and walked down Gladstone Road towards State Farm Road.

Mr Boyd said while walking, the victim noticed Martin was following her.

“The victim has stopped and had a conversation with (Martin),” Mr Boyd said.

The prosecutor said after the conversation, the victim turned her back on Martin and continued walking.

“(Martin) has then proceeded to grip the victim’s hair, (and) pull her backwards,” Mr Boyd said.

“As the victim fell backwards, (Martin) punched (her) in the back of the head a number of times.”

Mr Boyd said the victim fell to the ground.

“(Martin) has continued punching the victim, resulting in the victim’s partner pushing (Martin) away.”

Mr Boyd said during a later police interview, Martin said she did not remember striking the victim on the night as she was “heavily intoxicated”.

Mr Boyd said the injuries suffered by the victim were scratches on the neck.

In relation to penalty submission, Mr Boyd said this was alcohol-fuelled violence, Martin had “continued punching” after the victim hit the ground, and probation would be appropriate.

Solicitor Richard Parks said Martin had no recollection of the incident due to her heavily intoxicated state and she accepted the prosecution facts.

Mr Parks said Martin, a single woman who did not usually drink to that extent, worked as a bar attendant at Biloela’s Commercial Hotel and her criminal history was “limited”.

Mr Parks said from what Martin could recall, she only met the victim on the night of the incident.

“Without trying to reduce the actions of (Martin), obviously for someone to go and do this, unless they’re an absolute nutter, there must have been something that transpired at the Bowls Club when this was going on, but she (Martin) can’t recall what it was,” Mr Parks said.

Before handing down penalty, Magistrate Philippa Beckinsale said to Martin: “You would see this sort of thing unfold at your workplace and as a sober person, it’s pretty horrifying watching the effects of alcohol on people.”

Ms Beckinsale added: “Unfortunately whatever has gone wrong for you that day, you’ve killed a lot of brain cells if you cannot remember, you know that.”

Ms Beckinsale placed Martin on six months’ probation and no conviction was recorded.

Originally published as Central QLD barmaid Megan Martin faces Biloela court after party punch-up