Tanya Kearnes: Launceston woman bashed cabbie, torched mum’s home

A young woman bashed a hapless taxi driver in a sickening two-on-one assault, then set fire to a caravan which ignited her mother’s home, a court has heard.

A young Tasmanian woman bashed a cabbie trying to do the right thing in a sickening two-on-one assault and later torched a caravan in her mum’s driveway which went on to ignite the adjacent home, a court has heard.

Newnham woman Tanya Kaylene Kearnes, 22, pleaded guilty in Launceston Magistrates Court this week to a series of charges, most seriously common assault and two counts of unlawfully setting fire to property.

On July 23 last year about 9pm, Kearnes and a male accomplice were picked up by a 30-year-old taxi driver from a Sturt Cres, Mayfield address, for a fare to Invermay.

At Mowbray, the taxi driver pulled over when Kearnes became “belligerent” and began punching the windows of the taxi.

The driver complied with Kearnes’ demand for a refund of the fare, but despite this Kearnes punched him three or four times to the face, while the male in the back seat also reached around and punched the driver repeatedly, the court heard.

Newnham woman Tanya Kaylene Kearnes, 22. Picture: Facebook

The driver suffered bruising to his face and swelling to his left eye, the court was told.

In an unrelated incident, on the evening of October 15 at the same Sturt Cres address, her mother’s Community Housing Tasmania residence, Kearnes attended a booze-soaked gathering after drinking since about 3pm.

After having an altercation with another attendee, Kearnes left, but returned later to douse a caravan parked in the driveway in petrol and set it alight.

The caravan was completely consumed with fire, which also damaged her mother’s residence.

The court heard two children and Kearnes’ younger sister were both within the Sturt Cres residence when the fire was ignited.

Kearnes was witnessed running from the scene after setting the caravan alight.

She subsequently went to an associate’s house at Gregory St, Mayfield, whom she told, “I just set my mum’s house on fire,” the court heard.

When interviewed subsequently by police, Kearnes said she was angry after allegedly being “bashed” at the gathering.

Other offences Kearns pleaded guilty to included stealing perfume from Chemist Warehouse Launceston and possessing 30 rounds of .22 calibre ammunition.

Kearnes will be sentenced on July 12, with her defence lawyer submitting for a period of home detention.

Originally published as Tanya Kearnes: Launceston woman bashed cabbie, torched mum’s home