Sariah Skye Champkin, 23, found guilty of assault occasioning bodily harm

A rising star of Queensland racing is facing a lifetime ban from the sport after she was found guilty of assaulting her former roommate over missing money.

Queensland apprentice jockey Sariah Champkin. Picture: Grant Peters, Trackside Photography

Former apprentice jockey Sariah Skye Champkin will have to plead her case to the Queensland Racing Integrity Commission as to why she should retain her licence after she was found guilty of assault occasioning bodily harm.

The 23-year-old Gold Coast-born jockey was involved in an argument with her roommates that ended blows at an address in Wyalla St, Toowoomba, on March 6.

It was alleged that Champkin punched her former roommate several times and scratched her with horse grooming scissors, and that she threw objects at a car, damaging it.

Champkin was charged with assault occasioning bodily harm and wilful damage.

She pleaded not guilty to the offences and the matter was listed for a hearing in front of acting magistrate Lisa O’Neill in the Toowoomba Magistrates Court.

On Friday Ms O’Neill handed down her ruling, finding Champkin not guilty of wilful damage and guilty of assault.

Sariah Skye Champkin.

The court was told the fight started after Champkin suspected her roommate had stolen money from her.

“The injuries to the complainant were foreseeable from the time Champkin punched the complainant in the face,” Ms O’Neill said.

“Champkin confronted one roommate and said, ‘what have I ever done to you’, the complaint stepped in and said, ‘leave her alone’, then Champkin turned her attention to the complainant.

“She punched the complainant twice in the face, the complainant then punched Ms Champkin.

“The fight was brief and included Champkin holding the complainant’s head down and Champkin said, “I’ll stab you c--t’.

“She pulled a pair of black handled scissors with rounded tips from her pants and struck the complainant while she was holding the complainants hair in one hand.”

The complainant suffered superficial scratches and bruising.

Defence barrister David Jones KC asked the court to not record a conviction in the hope Champkin could resume her apprenticeship after it was put on hold as result of assault charge.

“At the time of committing the assault occasioning bodily harm my client still had one and half years to go (in her apprenticeship),” he said.

“As result of the verdict today, it will be brought to a complete halt but there will be some fight on that front.

“There will be an attempt, because this is her livelihood.

“Unless the advice given to her, from authority itself, was wrong, her career in that industry is over.”

Ms O’Neill placed Champkin on a 12 month probation order and declined to record a conviction, citing Champkin’s youth, the absence of prior offences and difficulty she may face in retraining for a new career.

“There is a real possibility you won’t be able to return to your employment, which you have done since you were 16 years old and it is something you have invested a lot of time, energy and hope in,” Ms O’Neill said.

“The reality of that is going to have a lifelong impact.”