Softball bat attack brings jail sentence

Press, 31 July 1986, Page 4

Softball bat attack brings jail sentence

A housewife was jailed for nine months by Judge Paterson in the District Court yesterday for a softball bat attack on her half sister. The defendant, Anne Wright, aged 38, had been found guilty by a jury at her trial earlier this month of injuring Candice Ann Johnson with intent to cause her grievous bodily harm last December 8. Evidence at the trial was that the complainant was hit on the head with a softball bat, and then sustained a broken arm and other injuries. She was admitted to hospital and had received plastic surgery and still was receiving medical treatment for headaches. Evidence was that Wright told a constable who investigated the matter that she had hit Mrs Johnson with a softball bat, bottles, chairs, had kicked and punched her, and tipped rubbish on her. Miss P. D. Costigan, for Wright, said there was a considerable domestic background to the offence. Wright had tolerated her sister’s behaviour towards her and her friend for a number of years, but that ceased when she took food and groceries from her home. She had been distressed by the on-going dispute

between her half-sister and a friend. Wright was not known to have violent tendencies. Her behaviour had been out of character. Miss Costigan submitted that the case was unusual and somewhat exceptional. It did not warrant a custodial sentence. The Judge told Wright that her attack on her half-sister was quite uncontrolled and was extensive in the force used, and the duration of the attack. It was surprising that there had not been more serious, permanent Injury. The defendant was not entitled to take the law into her own hands. The Judge said that, in determining the sentence, he had to consider the public interest and the concern of the community at the Increasing extent of serious violent offending. The public interest outweighed Wright’s personal circumstances.