Nursing student Taylor Rose Hooper fronts Toowoomba court over wild Cunnamulla street fight

A Toowoomba nursing student punched a woman 43 times during an organised street brawl between rivalling Cunnamulla families which involved more than 100 people – including children.

A Toowoomba nursing student was involved in an organised street fight between two rivalling families at Cunnamulla on New Year’s Day, a court has been told.

Police prosecutor Rowan Brewster-Webb said children, the elderly, women, and men were involved in the fights – including Taylor Rose Hooper.

Mr Brewster-Webb said on January 1, between the hours of 1.30am and 6.39am, police were called to Hickling St numerous times.

“They observed a crowd of 100 plus persons, with many engaging in physical fights at various times throughout the morning,” he said.

“This was as a result of significant tensions in the community.”

The small south west Queensland town of Cunnamulla, more than 600km west of Toowoomba, had a population of 1233 people according to the 2021 census. Picture Sean Scott

He said officers obtained intelligence that showed a barefooted Hooper fighting with a woman.

“They were engaged in a mutual fight with (Hooper) striking the (woman) with a closed fist 43 times,” he said.

“There was a large crown calling on (Hooper) to continue to fight.”

When officers questioned the mother later in the day, Mr Brewster-Webb said she came clean and told officers, “it was like one big thing, but it was a couple of rounds”.

He noted the 28-year-old committed a similar crime in 2016.

When Hooper appeared in Toowoomba Magistrates Court on Monday, June 26, magistrate Louise Shephard recalled and cancelled a warrant for Hooper’s arrest, which was on file after she failed to attend court on two charges – affray and public nuisance.

Before Hooper was sentenced, his solicitor Chelsea Saldumbide said her client would plead guilty to the public nuisance charge however prosecution would “take a certain course” in relation to the public fighting charge of affray.

Mr Brewster-Webb told the court police offered no evidence in relation to the charge.

Taylor Rose Hooper fronted Toowoomba court on Monday, June 27, 2023, for her involvement in an organised street fight at Cunnamulla during the early hours of News Year’s Day. Picture: Peta McEachern

Ms Saldumbide did not read her submission into the court record but said her client was not involved in organising fights and had nothing to do with the family feud.

“She didn’t know this other family, and has had no contact with them since,” she said.

She also said if the court recorded a conviction against Hooper, it would likely affect her blue card and employment.

Ms Shephard read some of Ms Saldumbide’s submissions into the record, which said Hooper went to the fight to get her brother, but was struck from behind.

The court was told Hooper then turned around and began the “consensual fight”.

Ms Shephard said the single mum was working hard to achieve her goal of becoming a nurse to better her life, and the life of her boy.

Hooper pleaded guilty to one charge of public nuisance and was fined $500.

No conviction was recorded.

Originally published as Nursing student Taylor Rose Hooper fronts Toowoomba court over wild Cunnamulla street fight