A SEBASTOPOL woman was fined $1000 after she “viciously” assaulted a supermarket staff member who was trying to stop her from stealing $2.60 worth of bacon, a court has heard.
Sharon Lyons, 51, from Sebastopol, yesterday appeared in Ballarat Magistrates Court where she pleaded guilty to theft and recklessly causing injury.
According to a prosecution summary obtained by
The man also allegedly stole some cheese.
When Lyons went through the check out she was asked to show inside her handbag, which she did so briefly, before the checkout staff asked to see deeper inside.
But Lyons refused and left the store, while the man allegedly made a run for it.
As she entered the carpark, a female supermarket staff member stood in front of Lyons’ car door to prevent her from leaving and was punched in the face with a back hand.
Lyons then got in the car and tried to drive off, but the staff member reached inside to grab her car keys.
Lyons put the woman in a head lock and punched her in the face again.
Police arrived shortly after, and Lyons produced the stolen bacon pieces.
The staff member suffered a small cut to her eyebrow, as well as bruising and a swollen eye socket.
Lyons initially pleaded not guilty to the theft saying she forgot the bacon was in her handbag, but changed her plea later in the day.
Defence lawyer Scott Belcher said his client was a personal care worker, and would have to disclose the incident to her employer.
“She is definitely a person who is genuinely concerned about trying to avoid a conviction,” he said.
Magistrate Michelle Hodgson considered putting Lyons on a community corrections order, saying she had assaulted the victim “quite viciously”.
“It comes against a background of assaulting police and resisting police 16 years ago,” Ms Hodgson said.
“They are very serious offences Ms Lyons, I have to emphasise that.”
Lyons was eventually fined $1000 with conviction.
