Gothic Fashion sparks Brawl

Gothic fashion sparks brawl

12:00a.m. 3rd February 2009

| By Rae Wilson
Gothic fashion sparks brawl

Kelly Owen was injured after a brawl on the Sunshine Coast.

Gothic clothing has been revealed as the spark for a brawl near a Mooloolaba coffee shop on a Sunday night last July.

Gregory Paul Gallagher, 37, and Stacey Louise Hober, 34, both from Parrearra pleaded guilty in Caloundra Magistrates Court on Monday to common assault.

The couple were expected to face a summary trial but changed their plea after charges were downgraded from assault occasioning bodily harm.

Kelly Owen, who had been celebrating her 21st birthday, received a cut under her eye and facial bruising in the assault about 10pm on July 6, 2008. Her 14-year-old friend had a lump to the left side of her forehead and bruising to her face.

The young women, who were out for a quiet dinner and coffee on the tourist strip, did not know the couple who attacked them.

Police prosecutor Stephen Winstanley told Caloundra Magistrates Court the couple had made slurs about the girls’ clothing and then made threats to hit them.

He said the situation became an all-in brawl where Ms Hober hit one of the girls in the forehead and then jumped on top her.

The girl received two further punches to the temple and jaw.

Sergeant Winstanley said another girl tried to pull Ms Hober away but she was overpowered and had several punches thrown at her. It was not suggested those punches made contact.

Sgt Winstanley said the girl pulled Ms Hober’s hair in retaliation and then Mr Gallagher punched her in the face.

He said ambulance and police were called and the girls were treated at the hospital.

The couple’s defence team submitted the whole incident could have been handled better.

Ms Hober was fined $250 for two counts of common assault.

Mr Gallagher was fined $200 for one count of assault.

http://www.thedaily.com.au/news/2009/feb/03/gothic-fashion-sparks-brawl/