Joanne Avery: Launceston woman bashed teen at Commercial Hotel

A Tasmanian grandmother has been found guilty of bashing a teen outside a popular watering hole after pushing into the queue to speak to her brother, who was the pub’s licensee.

A Tasmanian grandmother has been found guilty of bashing a teenager who questioned why the older woman was trying to butt into the lengthy queue.

West Launceston woman Joanne Margaret Avery, 56, pleaded not guilty to the charge of common assault but Launceston Magistrate Simon Brown ruled on Monday the charge had been proved.

The court heard the assault occurred about 11pm on Saturday, December 5, outside George St institution The Commercial Hotel.

The victim, aged approximately 19, and her three friends had been waiting in the queue for at least an hour when Avery attempted to cut in line and access the pub to speak to her brother, who was the licensee.

Mr Brown told the court Avery’s evidence was that she needed to speak to her brother as she feared their elderly mother was about to make an unwise financial transaction of about $5000.

According to the evidence of the victim and her three friends, the victim told Avery to wait in line like everyone else.

The victim said Avery became “aggressive” in response and made a comment similar to, “Mini sluts in mini skirts,” which Avery denied saying.

However, Mr Brown accepted the evidence that Avery said she “owned the establishment” and, when asked by the victim why the owner would be queuing up, responded that she was “checking out her clientele”.

According to the evidence, accepted by Mr Brown, Avery then punched the younger woman and pursued her onto the roadway, where the pair began grappling before the melee returned to the footpath where the pair collapsed against the pub wall.

At one point during the struggle, Avery tore a clump of hair from the victim’s scalp, the court heard.

Avery claimed she was “apologetic and reasonable” in trying to cut the queue, pleading extenuating circumstances, but that the victim and her friends began “screaming” at her and one of them kicked her.

Mr Brown did not accept that evidence, citing CCTV footage which he said illustrated the victim was attempting to back away from the confrontation but was pursued by Avery.

Mr Brown described the assault as “unseemly and unnecessary” but accepted it was out of character for the older woman.

Defence lawyer Grant Tucker told the court his client was married and had two adult children.

He said she hadn’t worked since the assault.

Mr Brown convicted Avery and fined her $600.