GETTING involved in a late night tussle could be the undoing of a woman's career, a court has heard, after she came face to face with a seven year prison sentence.
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Tiarna Robinson, 23, of High Street, West Bathurst pleaded guilty in Bathurst Local Court on September 6, 2023 to assaulting someone in the company of others, which resulted in actual bodily harm.
Robinson, the victim and three others were out at the Oxford Hotel on William Street in Bathurst on March 12, 2023 when an argument broke out about 1.30am, court documents said.
Robinson and a co-accused - who has pleaded not guilty to her involvement in the matter - approached the victim.
As stated in court documents, the co-accused allegedly began to punch the victim in the head as Robinson grabbed at the woman.
The court heard the victim tried to protect herself when a second co-accused got involved and, allegedly, grabbed the victim by the throat.
The scuffle, which was captured on CCTV footage, continued as the victim curled her body into a ball.
A number of hotel staff broke up the fight and took the victim to the front bar area, as Robinson and the two co-accused's left.
The court heard the victim then went to Bathurst Police Station to report the assault.
Officers noted in court documents they saw large bruises on the woman's back and upper body while she was at the station.
Robinson was spoken to by police on October 21, 2022, and while she said there was a fight, she refused to give more details.
![Bathurst Courthouse, where Tiarna Robinson was sentenced on September 6, 2023. Picture by James Arrow Bathurst Courthouse, where Tiarna Robinson was sentenced on September 6, 2023. Picture by James Arrow](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/5QSV2wJYJi8ZgVyWibkV7A/634c1589-6992-4e27-8ecb-01c8dbf2cbc5.jpg/r0_326_7728_4688_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Sentence
Robinson's solicitor Shane Cunningham told the court during submissions that his client had "tried to de-escalate" the situation by getting involved.
Mr Cunningham also explained this was Robinson's first criminal offence, which had put her career in the disability sector in jeopardy.
"Since the night in question, she has been terrified her spontaneous actions could put an end to a career she has worked hard for," Mr Cunningham said.
"The victim was an acquaintance, Ms Robinson had no bad will towards her.
"The extent of her conduct was grabbing towards the victim, it was less ... but she accepts her actions were taken in concert with the co-accused's actions."
Magistrate Elizabeth Ellis asked Robinson to look at the assault from the victim's point of view, who "probably couldn't distinguish you were trying to get the others away".
"There is a maximum of seven years jail for this charge. I underline that because I don't want you to lose sight of your involvement in a serious offence," Ms Ellis said.
"There may well be some ripple effects that flow on from your actions."
Robinson was placed on a conditional release order without conviction for 12 months.
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