Layla Lee Joyce Fraser sentenced in Roma Magistrates Court for suburban affray

A 22-year-old woman has faced court for her role in a wild suburban melee on the streets of Roma that saw verbal taunts escalate to an all-in brawl.

Layla Lee Joyce Fraser released from custody after suburban affray.

A Roma woman has pleaded guilty to one charge of affray, after she was part of a brawl on a suburban Roma street in June.

Layla-Lee Joyce Fraser appeared by videolink in the Roma Magistrates Court on August 21, facing a charge of affray, forcible entry and threatening violence.

Police prosecutor Ellysha Geddes told the court the prosecution would be offering no evidence for the charges of forcible entry and threatening violence, which were subsequently discontinued by the magistrate.

The 22-year-old pleaded guilty to one charge of affray.

The court was told Fraser and four others were charged on June 29, after they started a brawl in a suburban street in Roma.

Her co-accused are listed as Clinton Wayne Hearn, Lachlan James Hearn, Lane Andrew Hearn, and Christopher Raymond Hearn-Saffy.

While Fraser was not the primary offender, Sergeant Geddes told the court she was part of a group who arrived at a Holland St address, wielding purple bin bags, a yellow Esky, and a clear bottle containing liquid.

When the group arrived at the address, verbal assaults were slung at the occupants before a physical brawl erupted between the parties.

Some of the occupants were “punched and kicked to the ground,” by Fraser’s co-accused, and then while one of the complainants was on the ground, Fraser assaulted him with an Esky.

“The other complainant had a clear liquid poured over him by a co-accused,” Sergeant Geddes said.

“The co-defendant and other persons present then participated in filling up purple bin bags with liquid.

“The defendant and co-accused were both holding purple bin bags when they both produced a lighter.”

Sergeant Geddes told the court the informant then instructed the complainants to run, and the informant called the police.

Fraser and her co-accused then ran from the scene.

Her co-accused were soon arrested by police, and she later surrendered to the police station.

The court was told Fraser was the first of the group of five to be finalised.

Sergeant Geddes said given Fraser was already on probation for another unrelated matter, she did not think more probation would be necessary.

Additionally, two of the victims of the affray did not want to pursue charges against Fraser and her co-accused.

Fraser’s lawyer, Calum Wood of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Service, said Fraser worked in her partner’s business, who is a co-accused in the matter.

He said the business has had to be put on hold while they were both in custody.

Magistrate Michael Wood said Fraser’s offending was “not acceptable” and sentenced her to a period of imprisonment of 54 days, which she had already served in its entirety.

As such she would be on parole, but would still be under her existing probation.

Originally published as Layla Lee Joyce Fraser sentenced in Roma Magistrates Court for suburban affray