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Rockingham: woman keyed a car to protest driver parking in parent with pram bay without a child.

Gabrielle JefferyWeekend Kwinana Courier

Stacey Marie Jones pleaded guilty to common assault and criminal damage when she appeared at Rockingham Magistrates Court on May 13.

The prosecutor said Jones was at a Rockingham City Shopping Centre carpark near the Coles entrance on November 23 2015.

Another shopper had parked her car near the entrance and was walking towards the entrance when she heard someone yelling angrily.

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The victim turned around to see Jones who then said: “I’m going to key your car.”

The victim the saw Jones do a big long scratch down the bonnet and down the side of the victim’s car.

The victim ran over and went to take a photo of the damage and of Jones.

At this Jones became enraged and grabbed the victim’s phone, throwing it to the ground.

She also began pushing at the victim and continued assaulting her.

The prosecutor said when police arrived Jones was highly irrational and continued pushing the victim while the police were present.

Jones said she was sick of people parking in bays without babies.

Her lawyer said Jones was dealing with a particularly stressful situation in her life at that time and had effectively snapped.

She said she had become enraged as the victim was taking photos of her young daughter.

She said she was beginning to get back onto her feet.

She asked the Magistrate for leniency and a spent conviction.

The prosecutor said it was not a trivial matter and Jones already had two spent convictions from offences in 2008 and 2009.

He opposed a spent conviction and asked for restitution of $1550.24 for the damage to the car.

Magistrate Andrew Maughan said Jones had taken matters into her own hands.

“You say the victim was taking photos of your child,” he said.

“It doesn’t mean you take the law into your own hands. If you thought it was wrong there were other ways to deal with it.

“Report it to the shopping centre management or take a photo yourself and report it that way.

Jones was fined $750 for the assault and $500 for the damage.

He said the matter was not trivial and due to her past record opposed a spent conviction.