Woman convicted for antisocial behaviour

A MOUNT Gambier woman who threatened her neighbour with a piece of wood has been placed on a good behaviour bond for the anti-social behaviour.

Cherylann Arnold, 43, appeared in the Mount Gambier Magistrates Court charged with aggravated assault using a weapon.

The prosecution said the incident occurred on December 4 as a result of an ongoing feud between the defendant and the victim.

Living in a duplex, the pair had been neighbours for four years and had failed to build a civil relationship.

When the victim was gardening in the front yard of his property, the defendant began yelling abuse at him.

The court heard the victim had one foot on the defendant’s property, which caused her to become angry.

She went back inside her house before coming back out with a piece of wood.

Arnold raised it at the victim in a threatening manner.

Following the incident the victim contacted police.

Arnold admitted threatening the victim “because he had stepped over into her yard”.

The defendant’s lawyer said his client had been in an ongoing toxic relationship and there were verbal comments made both ways.

“She has since been moved out of the unit by housing trust, so any future conflicts are unlikely,” the defendant’s lawyer said.

“She accepts it was the wrong decision to act that way.”

Magistrate Anderson said raising the stick as if to swing it was a serious offence.

“The victim was your neighbour and it’s clear the two of you could not live together in peace and harmony,” Magistrate Anderson said.

The defendant’s lawyer said his client was not in a good position financially to pay a fine.

Magistrate Anderson placed Arnold on a $600, 12-month good behaviour bond to come up for sentence if called upon.

She was also convicted of the offence.