A Eurobodalla woman who assaulted her former fiance at a party on New Year’s Eve has told a court she lashed out in a “fit of rage” after finding message exchanges of a sexual nature between her partner and another woman.
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Hannah Wood, 27, of Courtenay Crescent, Long Beach, appeared in Batemans Bay Local Court on January 16 and pleaded guilty to one count of assault occasioning actual bodily harm.
Police said Wood and her former fiance were at a house party on New Year’s Eve when she found two suggestive Snapchat messages on her fiance’s phone sent to another woman.
When Wood observed the messages, police said she became angry and approached her partner to hand over his phone. The 27-year-old man was heavily affected by alcohol at the time and passed out in the garden.
Courts have a duty. We don’t make a distinction between whether the accused is male or female.
- Magistrate Doug Dick
“At this point the accused has begun to hit the victim a number of times. The accused does not recall where she hit the victim or how many times she assaulted him,” police said.
“Police observed redness, swelling and bleeding from the victim’s nose, mouth and face.”
Defence solicitor Lurline Dillon-Smith said Wood was “extremely shocked” by her actions.
“The defendant felt betrayed and humiliated in front of a group of friends,” Ms Dillon-Smith said.
“She just lost it and went into a fit of rage.”
Dillion-Smith said Wood had a history of abusive relationships and had been regularly physically assaulted by her previous partner.
She said there were several instances over recent years that had caused Wood to confront her fiance for contacting other women.
Magistrate Doug Dick condemned Wood’s actions.
“It’s not about you,” Mr Dick said.
“Courts have a duty. We don’t make a distinction between whether the accused is male or female.
It’s terrible behaviour… nothing could ever dignify or justify what happened.
Mr Dick placed Wood on a 12-month good behaviour bond and recommended she attend relationship counselling.
She also received a $500 fine.
