Mother of nine fined for attack
A MOTHER-OF-NINE performed a U-turn to unleash her anger on an innocent pedestrian who was simply crossing the road.
Francis Tohoa Vaerua, 37, appeared in the Townsville Magistrates Court and pleaded guilty to one count of common assault.
The court heard Vaerua approached the intersection of Stokes and Sturt streets in Townsville City.
Vaerua drove directly in front of a pedestrian who was crossing the road who had been given the green walk signal.
The court heard the victim waved her hands in the air to signal the green light.
Police prosecutor senior sergeant Felicity Nalder told the court Vaerua stopped and performed a U-turn and parked her car on Stokes St.
“She got out of the vehicle and approached the defendant and they had a verbal exchange,” she said.
“She placed her right arm in front of her face and was waving it back and forth.”
Ms Nalder said Vaerua stepped up on the footpath and pulled the victim’s arm down and pushed her in the mouth before the victim walked away.
CCTV footage of the incident was obtained by the police.
Police questioned Vaerua about the altercation and said she saw the pedestrian symbol flash red so she continued to drive.
The court heard
Vaerua told police the victim had caused a fight and had called her names.
Defence solicitor Nick Douglas said his client was taking medication for schizophrenia and the offending was “out of character”.
“In the scheme of things, she in herself reacted in the way she normally wouldn’t. Her criminal history speaks for herself as it is quite dated,” he said.
“Effectively, up until the time when the victim was pushed it is accepted that both of them were waving their arms at each other and they were both saying things.”
Mr Douglas told the court Vaerua was a full-time mother to nine children.
Magistrate Viviana Keegan told Vaerua there was “no excuse” for her behaviour.
“I think it is a quite serious common assault and it worries me that a person was confronted with such anger,” she said. Vaerua was fined $750. Convictions were recorded.