Ayr mother Tameka Therase Shepherd attacks woman in Bite Me burger bar in Queen St

A mother who snapped inside a busy NQ burger bar, pulling the hair of another woman, punching her in the face and wrestling on the ground in front of children, has owned up to her actions.

Tameka Therase Shepherd was sentenced for assault occasioning bodily harm for an attack she launched on another woman in Bite Me Fish and Burger Bar.

An Ayr mother says she’s “ashamed” of the way she snapped inside a busy burger bar, pulling the hair of another woman, punching her in the face and wrestling with her on the ground in front of children and customers.

Tameka Therase Shepherd, 35, was on Queen St when she caught sight of a woman she knew, Tamika Mogg, who was getting lunch at the Bite Me Fish and Burger Bar, the court heard.

Police prosecutor Danny Bourke said the mother-of-seven approached Ms Mogg and demanded a fight outside while tying her hair back in a bun.

“The victim said she did not wish to fight ... due to children being present,” Mr Bourke said.

“(Shepherd) continues to approach the victim before grabbing the victim’s hair ... punching her in the face with a closed fist.”

Bite Me Fish and Burger Bar in Queen St, Ayr.

The court heard the two women ended up wrestling on the floor and were pulled apart by an off-duty police officer.

The assault occurred on April 23, about 11am.

Shepherd pleaded guilty to one count of assault occasioning bodily harm in Ayr Magistrates Court on July 28.

Ms Mogg is not accused of any wrongdoing.

According to defence lawyer Hayley Andersen, there was an “ongoing conflict” between the two women at the time and Shepherd was behaving “in an act of retribution”.

“She accepts it was not an appropriate way to handle the situation,” Ms Andersen said.

The court heard Shepherd works as a cleaner and previously worked as a receptionist and restaurant manager.

“She has worked hard to be a mother for her children and to be gainfully employed,” Ms Anderson said.

“So she is a positive member of society.”

Magistrate Susan Warrington said the sour relationship between the woman was “no excuse” for the assault.

The court heard Shepherd has a one-page criminal record, which includes another assault occasioning bodily harm from 17 years ago and a common assault charge from 2023.

Ms Warrington sentenced Shepherd to six months’ imprisonment, wholly suspended for 12 months.

This means Shepherd can walk free but if she’s arrested for another crime within 12 months, she will be required to serve out the six months for the assault.

Originally published as Ayr mother Tameka Therase Shepherd attacks woman in Bite Me burger bar in Queen St