Skye Bassett: Beaconsfield woman guilty of common assault

A Tasmanian mum said she was defending her young sister, whom she has care of, when she followed a woman home from school pick-up and bashed her in her own driveway.

A young Tasmanian mum followed a woman home, who she believed had threatened her 12-year-old sister, and bashed her in her own driveway, a court has heard.

Beaconsfield woman Skye Rose Bassett, 25, pleaded guilty in Launceston Magistrates Court on Tuesday to a charge of common assault.

The court heard the offence occurred about 3.40pm on March 17 last year at an address at Clifford St, Beaconsfield.

The victim was known to Bassett.

The court heard the incident was sparked when the victim, who was picking up her son from school on Weld St, “witnessed a bunch of schoolgirls” – one of whom was Bassett’s 12-year-old sister – “having an argument with a girl she knew”.

The victim picked the assailed schoolgirl up and dropped her home, before returning to Weld St near the IGA to chastise the group.

Bassett and her partner picked up Bassett’s sister, who told Bassett the victim had “had a go at her”, then followed the victim to Clifford St.

There, Bassett began “yelling” at the victim about “threatening” the young girl, and slammed the door shut on the woman when she attempted to exit her vehicle.

When the woman tried to open the car door again, Bassett grabbed her by the hair and pulled her from the car, before raining down a flurry of punches on the woman’s head.

Bassett’s partner and a person from within the victim’s residence stepped in to pull Bassett off her victim, who sustained a lump on her forehead, cuts, a swollen right cheek and bruising under her eye, all while her son watched on from their car.

Bassett’s sister also witnessed the assault, filming it on her mobile phone.

Defence lawyer Fran McCracken told the court Bassett did not “initially go there to engage in a fight, she was going there to have a conversation about her behaviour”.

“Her sister was shaken up and visibly distressed,” Ms McCracken said.

“It was an ugly incident in front of children.”

Magistrate Sharon Cure said she was sure the defendant was “ashamed”.

She fined her $1500 and recorded a conviction.