Suzi Milgate told to prepare for trial on ex-Chief Minister Natasha Fyles assault charge

The former real estate agent said ‘I actually need more time because I’ll have to go interstate’ but judge Stephen Geary said the case had ‘dragged on too long’.

Former Darwin real estate agent Suzi Milgate returned to court on Thursday after being charged with assaulting Nightcliff MLA Natasha Fyles in September last year. Picture: Jason Walls

Suzi Milgate has been told to be ready for a trial on a charge of assaulting former chief minister Natasha Fyles with a crepe after abandoning a bid for a sentencing indication.

The former Darwin real estate agent returned to court on Monday after requesting the indication late last week but withdrew the request in lieu of reading a statement.

“The injury I have suffered at the hands of Minister Fyles and the Department of Health (is) directly relevant to my conduct on the day of the offence,” she said.

“Not only as a matter of mitigation but also directly relevant to my state of mind at the time, I believe it was a type of post-traumatic stress disorder.

Former real estate agent Suzi Milgate outside the Darwin Local Court on Monday where she stands charged with assaulting former Chief Minister Natasha Fyles with a cream crepe. Picture: Jason Walls

“I require time to get a report to the court about this issue, I require legal representation and I cannot get it due to a lack of money and conflict of interest.”

Ms Milgate said “I actually need more time because I’ll have to go interstate” but judge Stephen Geary said “the matter’s just carried on too long”.

“Perhaps have a chat with legal aid but at the end of the day the matter’s just dragged on too long so I’m keeping that date, the 16th of October.”

Suzi Milgate to sound out possible sentence for alleged Fyles assault

Former Darwin real estate agent Suzi Milgate will seek a sentencing indication on Monday ahead of a possible plea of guilty to assaulting then Chief Minister Natasha Fyles last year.

Ms Milgate returned to court on Thursday where she asked for an order that she undergo a preliminary mental health assessment, made after she stormed out of court earlier this month, to be revoked.

Prosecutor Deborah Mandie said a hearing scheduled for this month had already been vacated “because Ms Milgate raised the question of fitness and mental impairment herself”.

“She represented to the court, producing many, many documents from psychologists raising the matter, perhaps not understanding the implications of which, but raising the matter of fitness and mental impairment,” she said.

“The hearing was listed a long time ago, it is going to happen unless there is any basis for pursuing fitness questions, otherwise the Crown will be seeking a hearing date.”

But Ms Milgate said she was “stressed” and had “PTSD from my husband having a stroke and the rollout of the vaccines” rather than “mentally impaired”.

Judge Stephen Geary initially affirmed the order, saying “sometimes things happen that you don’t wish to happen if you’re not there and you’re not able to put your view across”.

“I’m not going to revoke the order, I think it should be carried out,” he said.

“If there’s no issue, as you suggest to me, then the report will come back saying as such, sometimes these reports are very helpful.”

Former Darwin real estate agent Suzi Milgate could see the case against her finalised as early as Monday if she elects not to take it to trial in October. Picture: Jason Walls

After a brief adjournment, Mr Geary read from a letter provided to prosecutors by Ms Milgate saying she had requested her own assessment “to focus on evaluating the impact of her mental health condition on her ability to defend herself in legal proceedings and if relevant, her mental state at the time of the alleged crime”.

Mr Geary said “that’s effectively what a section 77 report is” but Ms Milgate indicated she would not participate in any such evaluation.

“Yeah no, because I wanted it independent, yeah, just because it was stress and PTSD, it wasn’t what they’re making it out as,” she said.

Mr Geary said “given your general attitude to it I’m going to revoke that order” and after another short adjournment Ms Milgate requested the case be listed for a sentencing indication on Monday.

“You’ve got to come to court and at different times when things aren’t going your way, you need to stay, and particularly if it goes to hearing,” Mr Geary said.

If Ms Milgate does not accept the sentencing indication the case will proceed to trial in October.

Originally published as Suzi Milgate told to prepare for trial on ex-Chief Minister Natasha Fyles assault charge