Jocelyn May Ugle fined by Manjimup Magistrates Court after breaching community-based order

The Manjimup woman who punched and insulted an innocent teenage girl who she mistakenly thought had attacked her young son has been fined after repeatedly violating the community service order imposed on her. Jocelyn May Ugle, 41, pleaded guilty in Manjimup Magistrates Court on Thursday to repeatedly violating a community service order after she was handed the sentence in August last year for admitting to aggravated assault. The assault took place at the Manjin Recreation Plaza in February last year, where Ugle called a 17-year-old female victim a “white s...” before pulling her hair and punching her multiple times in the head. Ugle was issued a community service order for the attack by Magistrate Tanya Watt who sympathised with the mother for wanting to protect her child after he had allegedly been attacked. The conditions for Ugle’s community service order included counselling for anger issues, visiting a doctor to organise a mental health plan and checking in with her social worker periodically for welfare updates. The court was told after Ugle failed to make contact with the authorities and her social worker three times across August and September, concerns were raised she was not complying with her court order. Ugle also missed doctor appointments made with the South West Aboriginal Health Service throughout September and October in Manjimup and Collie. Magistrate Joanne Andretich said given Ugle’s large outstanding legal fees and her non-compliance with the original community service order she was forced to fine the woman. “There is no real point putting you on an order, I have got no real choice,” she said. Ugle was fined $1000 for the original aggravated assault charge and an additional $500 for breaching the community service order.