Woman slaps, punches stepdad

A WARWICK woman who slapped and punched her stepfather in an alcohol-fuelled rage has faced court for breaching a domestic violence order.

Warwick Magistrates Court heard the incident began when the woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, got into a fight with her mother on September 15 while her stepfather was outside smoking a cigarette. The man went inside to see what the argument was about, and the woman, 35, came in from another room and yelled “c--t” at him.

Police prosecutor Steve de Lissa said the man started filming the woman as she advanced on him and continued swearing.

“She ... launched herself at the (man) and slapped him in the face,” Sergeant de Lissa said. “(He) pushed the defendant to the ground, and she then got up and punched him in the side of the head with a fist.”

Sergeant de Lissa said the woman had arrived three hours earlier with a bottle of vodka and began drinking, meaning she was “extremely intoxicated” by the time of the incident.

Police were called and watched footage of the attack before arresting the woman.

The court was told the woman had no previous domestic violence offences, and the most recent conviction on her criminal record was from 2005.

Duty lawyer Phillip Crook said the incident forced the woman to recognise her problem with alcohol, and she’d since begun counselling.

Magistrate Julian Noud labelled the woman’s offending “pitiful behaviour”, but acknowledged she had good prospects of rehabilitation.

The woman pleaded guilty to contravening a domestic violence order.

She was fined $850 and no conviction was recorded.