Shonita Hopes got into a punch-up with a female worker at a Yeppoon fruit and veg shop

The mother grabbed a female staff member at the Central Queensland store by the hair while trying to punch her.

A woman who got into a punch-up with a female worker at a Yeppoon fruit and vegetable shop has faced court.

Shonita Hopes, 33, pleaded guilty in Yeppoon Magistrates Court on October 21 to a public nuisance charge.

The court heard that on September 17 at 11.30am, police were called to Capricorn Fruit & Veg, in Charles Street, Yeppoon.

Hopes had gone there and became involved in an altercation with staff members which escalated into a physical fight with one of the workers.

Hopes grabbed that staff member by the hair while trying to punch her.

There were numerous customers in the store at the time and police received multiple calls about the incident.

The mother then left the shop before police got there.

The drama happened at a Yeppoon fruit and vegetable store. Generic photo.

Police later questioned Hopes about the incident and she said she had attended the business to question staff about the treatment of her children earlier in the day and that led to the fight.

The court was told that Hopes only had one conviction on her criminal history for wilful damage/public nuisance for which she received a good behaviour order.

Hopes, representing herself in court, was asked about the incident involving her children by Magistrate Jason Schubert.

“Well, I got a phonecall from my daughter saying she had been choked by this lady,” Hopes said.

“So, I didn’t want it to go down this way, but, it escalated.”

Mr Schubert then asked Hopes: “Why would your child have been choked?”

She responded: “I don’t know. She’s a teenager.”

Mr Schubert pressed Hopes further and said: “So... your daughter said ‘I’m not doing anything wrong, I’m just being choked by a random person at some fruit and vege shop’?”

Hopes replied: “They go to school together - that lady and the daughter.”

Mr Schubert then corrected Hopes: “The lady doesn’t go to school, the lady’s daughter goes to school.

“This is not how we resolve differences, (there are) civilised ways we go about that.”

Mr Schubert noted that Hopes had a prior public nuisance offence and that was the only thing on her history.

He fined Hopes $400 and did not record a conviction.

Originally published as Shonita Hopes got into a punch-up with a female worker at a Yeppoon fruit and veg shop