Krystal Laurie walks free from Toowoomba Magistrates Court after assaulting friend on New Year’s Day 2023

A Toowoomba woman has walked free from court after she brutally beat her friend on New Year’s Day, leaving the woman half-naked, bleeding, and unconscious on her bedroom floor.

Krystal May Laurie leaving the Toowoomba Magistrates Court on Wednesday morning, June 28, 2023, after pleading guilty to assault. Picture: Regional Media

A Toowoomba court has been told a woman was violently assaulted in her bedroom by her friend on New Year’s Day after the pair had a falling out.

Her attacker, Krystal May Laurie, was sentenced on Thursday, July 20, after pleading guilty to assault causing bodily harm.

The incident occurred on January 1, after the victim attended a New Year’s Eve party that Laurie and her co-accused attended.

The court was told Laurie was not mad at the victim for the same reason as the co-offenders, who were at the New Year’s Eve party with a crying newborn, which they left with a man unknown to them and the victim.

The court was told the victim later confronted the newborn’s mother Kristin Dawes about her alleged irresponsible actions.

Krystal May Laurie leaving the Toowoomba Magistrates Court on Wednesday morning, June 28, 2023, after pleading guilty to assault. Picture: Regional Media

After attending the party the night prior, the victim was sleeping in her bed naked before she was woken up by Ms Dawes and two other women at her back door – Laurie entered the home a short time after.

Police prosecutor Natalie Bugden said after Ms Dawes and two other women were let in, the victim quickly left to get a shirt from her bedroom, however she was followed.

Sergeant Bugden said Laurie entered the room and said, “you want to fight” before grabbing the victim by the hair and repeatedly punching her in the head and face.

“She’s then dragged the victim by her hair off the bed,” Sergeant Bugden said.

“She then straddled the victim who was lying on her back on the floor and repeatedly punched the victim.”

Despite the victim pleading for Laurie to stop, she continued.

The woman lay unconscious on the floor, bleeding from a gash on her forehead, however Laurie continued to punch her.
The court was told the alleged co-accused were charged in relation to the incident.

When Laurie pleaded guilty to the assault at court on June 28, she had a number of charges thrown out. Picture: Peta McEachern

Solicitor Phil Stainton said Laurie, 21, was at the woman’s house to retrieve her belongings, and her presence had nothing to do with Ms Daws leaving her baby with a stranger on New Year’s Eve.

Mr Stainton said Laurie had a very difficult upbringing, which led to drug use and mental health hospitalisations in her early teenage years.

He noted she was a methadone baby and was an inpatient at the Toowoomba Hospital Acute Mental Health Unit on her 18th birthday.

Mr Stainton said the valued laundromat worker did not remember all of the assault, as she was heavily intoxicated on rum and in the midst of a depressive episode.

Magistrate Kay Philipson noted Laurie had no criminal history, had entered an early guilty plea, and was a good candidate for rehabilitation.

When sentencing Laurie to a two year probation order, Ms Philipson urged her to reconsider her relationship with alcohol.

No conviction was recorded.