A woman has been assaulted after refusing to give another woman a ride from a campground near Creswick, a court has heard.
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The Ballarat Magistrates' Court was told on April 16 last year a woman was standing outside her tent when accused woman Kortnei Smith, 24, approached her and asked for a ride into town.
The woman declined and the accused was said to have "walked off" in the direction of Creswick.
At 11.50pm that night the complainant noticed a car in the camping area and police allege the accused emerged from surrounding bushland, grabbed the woman by the hair and spat in her face.
The court heard the woman was punched in the head and face before a "possibly" drug and alcohol affected Smith left the campground in the car.
The complainant recorded the vehicle's registration on her mobile phone.
Defence counsel for Smith told the court she said "it didn't happen" and was only identified by the registered owner of the car who told police it was Smith when questioned.
"We are not aware of who was sitting in the driver's seat," the defence said.
"We don't know if the co-accused was charged ... [Smith] denied the allegations when asked about it by police."
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Smith was bailed for the charge of unlawful assault for the matter last year and returned to court this week after being taken into custody for an unrelated drug matter.
On January 22, 2023, police responded to reports of a male and female sleeping in a car on Havelock Street in Ballarat North.
Police allege Smith was in the passenger seat and appeared substance affected when they found three bottles of GHB in the car.
She was charged with drug possession, trafficking, and committing an indictable offence whilst on bail.
The police prosecutor told the court this week Smith was an "unacceptable risk" of committing further crimes if released from custody on bail.
But Magistrate Letizia Torres said the prosecution case evidence needed "a bit of work".
Smith was bailed with conditions to live at a static address, stay at that address between 10pm to 6am, follow drug and alcohol treatment programs and not to associate with the co-accused man.
Smith told Magistrate Torres she did not know the man well.
The magistrate replied: "I think it's best then you stay away. If your only connection is [drugs] then we want you to stay away."
The matter will return to court on March 2.
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