Mother comes to blows at Christmas play

A mother-of-three today admitted assaulting and threatening a woman after her son’s Christmas play.

Stephanie Hollis, 27, overheard Ashley Correia having a conversation about her at Purvis Primary at 6:30pm on December 4.

She then said: “Your mouth’s too smart. I don't like you. I’m gonna bust your a** because you’re too smart.”

Hollis continued to yell at Ms Correia and shoved her in the face with her hands. The pair had to be broken up my members of the public.

Crown counsel Maria Sofianos told the court the complainant went to walk towards her home on St Mary’s Road and Hollis started to follow her, continuing to yell and shout.

As Ms Correia was continuing to walk along St Mary’s Road, Hollis approached her in a car and said: “I’m gonna be back”.

The matter was reported to police and Hollis was arrested. She admitted threatening Ms Correia but denied assaulting her.

Hollis initially denied the assault charge but changed her plea to guilty.

Senior Magistrate Archibald Warner said: “The fact that you don’t like somebody and you push them in the face is not a defence. “

Addressing the court, Hollis said: “Her whole statement is lies. Second of all, this is really petty.

“I didn’t make her bleed. I didn’t approach her, she approached me.

“She got all up in my face. I wasn’t worrying about that girl. I was at my son’s Christmas play.

“I’m wrong for threatening her, but she got up in my face and I pushed her. I was taught someone hits you, you hit them back.”

Mr Warner asked Hollis, who has previous convictions, if she wasn’t tired of coming in his court.

She said: “Yes sir, I am. I’m really tired of coming to your court but when people start trouble first and can’t handle their blows, then they want to call the man? That irritates me.

“I believe in handling it in the streets.”

But Mr Warner said: “You don’t realise that every time you come here, it's not about you. It’s about your children and this was your child’s play where you acted this way.

“I really don’t know what I’m going to do with you.”

In the end, Mr Warner gave Hollis a conditional discharge and 12 months probation.