A Wagga woman has been spared jail for a "bizarre" assault on a man she met via a smartphone dating app that left him bleeding from a wound in his back.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Madison Jones, aged 22 and of Kooringal, was sentenced to a two-year community corrections order in Wagga Local Court on Wednesday for scratching a 4-centimetre deep wound in a 23-year-old man's back.
Jones had earlier pleaded guilty to reckless wounding as well as stealing the victim's Kia Rondo hatchback and mid-range drink driving.
She will also be required to perform 100 hours of community service and was disqualified from driving for 12 months.
Jones's solicitor Christine Mendes told the court that her client had no prior criminal record and she had committed the offences after consuming half a bottle of whiskey and cannabis.
Magistrate Christopher Halburd said the case was "quite bizarre' given Jones was in part-time work, studying animal care and volunteered at a rescue shelter.
According to agreed facts, Jones messaged the victim via Tinder on June 13 last year and asked if he wanted to hang out and drink.
The victim agreed and drove Jones to his Kooringal apartment at 10pm, where they sat on a couch while the victim drank Carlton Draught and Jones drank whiskey and Coke.
Between 3am and 4am the next day while in bed, the victim felt something scratching his back.
He asked Jones what she was doing and she said "nothing". The victim then felt pain in his back.
The victim felt liquid on his left mid-back and realised he was bleeding.
The victim immediately got out of bed, woke his roommate and told him "call the police, look at my back".
The roommate heard Jones say "Is he alright? Don't call the police'.
The victim stated the offender looked very scared. The victim then told Jones to leave and later saw his car had gone after deciding to go to hospital.
The victim received five stitches for the wound, made with an unknown object that penetrated his subcutaneous fat, and made a full recovery.
Jones was arrested at 4.20am after driving the stolen Kia to Wagga Police Station with smoke coming from its front and damage to its bumper.
The prosecutor did not oppose a non-custodial sentence for Jones.
Magistrate Halburd accepted that Jones was remorseful, had used drugs to cope with anxiety in social situations and was affected by combining cannabis with alcohol, which she did not usually do.
"We have heard a lot about [Jones'] circumstances but it's cold comfort to the man. He has been injured physically and psychologically; it has undermined his trust in people," he said.
Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content:
- Download our app from the Apple Store or Google Play
- Bookmark dailyadvertiser.com.au
- Follow us on Twitter
- Follow us on Instagram
- Follow us on Google News
- Make sure you are signed up for our breaking and regular headlines newsletter