Wendy-May Roberts sentenced for common assault in Proserpine Magistrates Court

A grandmother of five has assaulted her landlord, who she ‘thought was a friend’, over a business arrangement gone wrong. The two continued arguing even after police arrived.

Wendy-May Roberts faced the Proserpine Magistrates Court on May 27, 2024.

A Whitsundays grandmother of five has assaulted her landlord over a business arrangement gone wrong.

Wendy-May Roberts, 60, was arguing with a woman who she thought was “her friend”, when the dispute regarding the management of an Airbnb got physical.

Prosecutor Sergeant Linden Pollard told the court the women had started arguing on Yachtsman Pde in Cannonvale.

But the argument escalated, when Roberts accused the woman of being a “scammer” before raising her right hand and pushing her in the chest.

The court heard police were called in to the scene but the two women had continued arguing after they arrived.

Legal Aid solicitor Rosemary Varley told the court Roberts was renting the property off a Victorian woman, which was used as a Airbnb, in an informal agreement.

Roberts addressed Prosecutor Athol Kennedy directly and told him both women had agreed for her to manage some of the Airbnb properties her ‘friend’ owned.

The dispute started when she had refused to fix airconditioning in the property, leading it not to pass property reports.

“It was an extra property I took on because we were friends,” Roberts told the magistrate.

“She wanted to sell it but I was still renting the place.”

Magistrate Kennedy asked Roberts if she was aware of the housing shortage Queensland faces.

“It can be said that Airbnbs take accommodation off the rental market,” Mr Kennedy said to which she replied “maybe”.

Roberts pleaded guilty to common assault in front of the magistrate court.

She was placed under a $500 behaviour bond.

No convictions were recorded.

Originally published as Wendy-May Roberts sentenced for common assault in Proserpine Magistrates Court