Michelle Hinds: Launceston woman sentenced for multiple assaults

A Tasmanian woman flew into a violent rage at news her husband had impregnated a mutual acquaintance, a court has heard.

A “diminutive, quietly spoken” Tasmanian woman flew into a violent rage upon learning her husband had impregnated a mutual acquaintance, bashing first her philandering man by slamming his head repeatedly into a car window, then the pregnant woman, punching her twice in the stomach.

Perth woman Michelle Kylie Hinds, 30, previously pleaded guilty to one count each of common assault, aggravated common assault, aggravated burglary and assaulting a pregnant woman, with her sentencing hearing commencing Thursday in the Supreme Court.

The court heard the offences occurred on November 3 last year, with her initial assault on her husband occurring in the carpark of Meadow Mews shopping centre at Kings Meadows.

The pair were seated in their vehicle when Hinds’ husband Frederick informed his wife had had been having an affair since May with a woman he worked with who had fallen pregnant.

Hinds punched Frederick several times in the face before grabbing his head with both hands and slamming it repeatedly into the car window.

She then ordered her hapless husband to drive them to West Launceston, where she knew the pregnant woman lived.

Upon arrival, Hinds kicked down the door to the shed her victim was residing in and confronted her, saying, “I thought you were my friend (but you’ve) f***** my husband... (and now) there’s a chance you’re pregnant”.

The court heard Hinds then pushed the woman to the ground, told her she’d have to get an abortion, and punched the woman twice to her stomach.

She then slapped the woman to the face “with enough force to turn (her) head,” the court heard, before returning home to Perth with her husband, where she was intercepted by police and made full and frank admissions.

Defence counsel Michael Larcombe told the court his client had no criminal record prior to the current matters and was described by friends as “quietly spoken, diminutive, hardworking and a loving mother” to her two young sons with Fred.

He said Hinds and her husband had been having mental health and marital difficulties at the time of the offending, but the pair were committed to each other and had been seeing a relationship counsellor.

Justice Robert Pearce adjourned his decision until Friday to enable an assessment of Hinds’ suitability for community-based orders to take place.