Angry mumslaps daughter’s bully
Schoolyard bullying drove a mother to violence when she spied her daughter’s alleged tormenter in the street.
Katrina Caroline Hunt, 41, of Cambridge, parked her car and crossed the road for a confrontation that ended with her punching a teenager.
Her actions were fuelled by concerns about her daughter being bullied, defence counsel Glen Prentice told the Hamilton District Court this month. The summary of facts said she verbally abused and threatened the girls — aged 14 and 15 and in school uniform — then slapped one.
Another girl in the group then slapped Hunt, who grabbed the girl in a bear-hug like move, punched her in the face, and threw her to the ground.
‘‘Members of the public have then pulled [Hunt] away,’’ the summary said.
The scene unfolded outside Liquorland in Cambridge on the afternoon of August 10, 2016, with Hunt’s three children and a fourth child watching from the car.
Hunt has pleaded guilty to two charges of common assault, and appeared in the Hamilton District Court on October 12 before Judge Merelina Burnett.
‘‘She’s made a very foolish decision to take matters into her own hands,’’ defence counsel Glen Prentice said.
The assault essentially concerned a slap, a punch, and grabbing, he said.
‘‘[Hunt] did actually lose her job because of this behaviour, because she did have a role working with children.’’
She had been genuinely concerned about bullying happening to her daughter, Prentice said, and she explained the steps she had taken to address it when she spoke to police after the incident.
There had been an incident with her daughter the day of the assault, he said.
Which school the girls went to was not revealed in court.
Hunt was unlikely to appear before the court again, Prentice submitted.
Burnett’s view was that Hunt would need oversight, even if she was remorseful.
Through her lawyer, Hunt declined to comment.
She is moving away from the Waikato, but has been convicted and remanded on bail until sentencing at Rotorua District Court on November 28.