A WOMAN who coward punched her niece from behind avoided a jail term when sentenced in Warwick District Court.

The woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, yesterday pleaded guilty to assault occasioning bodily harm under domestic violence laws.

Crown Prosecutor Melanie Franklin said the two women, who had worked together in a Killarney factory, were involved in an ongoing dispute.

The court heard the woman, who was 42 at the time, had gone to the factory on April9 last year and approached her niece.

“She approached (her) from behind, outside her range of vision,” Ms Franklin said.

“She hit (her) on the back of the head and kept hitting.

“The two struggled, (the niece) did get some punches back in herself and the defendant dragged her around the floor by her hair.”

Ms Franklin said it took a number of other workers to break it up with the victim suffering bruising, a cut and scratches.

“It was a very protracted and premeditated assault – there were a number of threats made by text before hand,” Ms Franklin said.

Judge Gregory Koppenol scolded the woman on her actions. “This is stupid behaviour but the (victim) fortunately didn’t suffer any significant injuries, it might be different if that were not the case,” he said.

Defence barrister Mark Johnson said his now 43-year-old client regretted her actions.

“Her mother had died a few weeks before which caused my client stress,” Mr Johnson said. “There had been a build up of a whole lot of little things, certainly not serious things by themselves, but they had been building up and eating away at my client.

“It is certainly a one off and she won’t be back before the court.”

Mr Koppenol said the woman’s behaviour could have ended in tragedy.

“You could have really hurt your niece – any hits to the head, particularly this type of king hit or coward punch, can have devastating consequences as we know from recent events,” he said.

“It was foolish and stupid criminal behaviour which could have had devastating consequences for her, fortunately it did not.”

“Any sort of coward punch, as we know recent tragic events in Brisbane, can have deadly consequences.”

“I appreciate you were stress-affected at the time... you acted foolishly, it was over the top, you lost your temper and you should not have acted in that way.”

“A period of imprisonment would be grossly excessive in the circumstances.”

The woman was sentenced to 18 months’ probation with no conviction recorded.

“I’m giving you a chance here – if you were to re-appear in court, if it were me, I would not be inclined to be generous towards you again,” he said.