Rhiannon Erin Blanchard in Rockhampton court after Fitzroy Bridge punch

A young mum who mistakenly punched an old classmate who tried to rescue her from a ‘dangerous situation’ after RockyNats had an explanation.

Rhiannon Erin Blanchard, 19, fronted Rockhampton Magistrates Court this week for punching the male three times in the stomach on March 31 about 1.3oam.

A young mum claims her drink was spiked at RockyNats when a former school classmate came to her rescue as she tried to get away from a group of men, only for her to turn around and assault her rescuer.

Rhiannon Erin Blanchard, 19, fronted Rockhampton Magistrates Court this week for punching the male three times in the stomach on March 31 about 1.3oam.

Police prosecutor Claudia Neill-Ballantine said the victim had been walking towards the Fitzroy Bridge when they saw Blanchard with a group of males, who she met drinking at a nightclub after the motorsports event, on the bridge.

She said the victim heard Blanchard say “let me go, let me f***ing go” and saw her acting aggressively, guessing she was intoxicated.

Ms Neill-Ballantine said the victim and a witness approached Blanchard and asked her what was wrong.

She said Blanchard asked them to take her home and “help me”, but as the victim walked towards her, she punched him three times in the face and stomach before running away.

The court heard the police spoke with Blanchard seven hours later at her residence and she told them she had started drinking about 5pm the day before at the burnouts of the RockyNats.

She said she had met the group of males at the Zodiac nightclub and had asked them to walk her to the PCYC carpark on the other side of the river to her friend’s car.

She also told police the males were trying to get her to go home with them, which she did not want to do.

Ms Neill-Ballantine said Blanchard told the police she thought she had slapped the victim’s face and pushed him away because he was being annoying.

Defence lawyer Samantha Legrady said Blanchard thought her drink was spiked that night and she had gone to the ChaplainWatch – a safe place for people out drinking to ‘rest and recover’ – for a short time before attempted to get home.

“She had gone out with friends that had left her by herself,” she said.

“Someone has then taken her to the chaplaincy organisation … she hadn’t waited there for too long.”

Ms Legrady said the single mother to a one-year-old child discussed a back-up plan just in case she has similar issues in the future.

“It was a dangerous situation and the victim and the witness were trying to help her,” she said.

“At the time, she didn’t feel safe with anybody.”

Blanchard pleaded guilty to one count of common assault and was placed on probation for eight months.

A conviction was not recorded.

Originally published as Rhiannon Erin Blanchard in Rockhampton court after Fitzroy Bridge punch