A woman who was too drunk to remember what she said on a night out at the Illawarra Hotel has pleaded guilty to an unprovoked assault of a patron with a disability.
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Taryn Elise Oxford, 25, pleaded guilty to a charge of common assault and was sentenced in Wollongong Local Court on Tuesday.
On June 25, Oxford was dancing in the courtyard of the Illawarra Hotel.
Oxford noticed a woman who was sitting at a table with friends in the same area and approached her, saying "I'm going to slit your throats" and "Go f--- yourself c---s", according to documents tendered to court.
The woman sitting down told Oxford she was not laughing at her, but this did not limit Oxford's aggression who came closer to the woman's face and repeatedly said "Go f--- yourself c---, you deserve to die".
Security guards approached Oxford and asked her to leave, after which Oxford approached the woman again, taking hold of her hair and pulling her backwards.
The woman felt a pain to the back of her head and fell down from her chair to the ground.
Oxford left the pub and walked north on Keira Street, where she was stopped by police.
Police spoke to Oxford, who admitted to pulling the woman's hair.
Police asked Oxford to leave the area, which she did, and advised her she would have to come to court.
In Wollongong Local Court on Tuesday, Oxford's lawyer Anthony Williamson said Oxford didn't believe she said the words contained in the court documents, but can't remember what she did say.
Magistrate Chris McRobert accepted that Oxford had no recollection of what she said but that it was "not the way you would normally speak".
"Given how intoxicated you were, I'm not going to discount those words are correct."
Mr McRobert said there was an extreme risk of serious injury to the victim, similar to 'once punch' attacks.
The court heard the victim has had ongoing physiotherapy to deal with the injuries she sustained.
Mr McRobert ordered a conviction be recorded and released Oxford on a conditional release order for 12 months.
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Connor Pearce
Federal Political Reporter working for The Canberra Times from the parliamentary press gallery. Something to get off your chest? Connor.pearce@austcommunitymedia.com.au
Federal Political Reporter working for The Canberra Times from the parliamentary press gallery. Something to get off your chest? Connor.pearce@austcommunitymedia.com.au
