The Whangārei woman was jailed for two separate violent assaults on strangers in Auckland. Photo / NZME
The Whangārei woman was jailed for two separate violent assaults on strangers in Auckland. Photo / NZME
Despite already unleashing violence on three strangers, including two good Samaritans who tried to help as she was dragged from a car, a woman’s aggression continued in the court system when she hurled racial abuse at a Corrections staff member.
Caitlyn Briana Williams’ behaviour was so abusive, that community-based corrections staff feared for their safety and she’s now been sent to prison.
On the evening of April 3, 2021, the Parua Bay woman was drinking at a bar on Waiheke Island when her behaviour became increasingly erratic. In an attempt to de-escalate the situation, the bar manager intervened but the 31-year-old instead grabbed her by the hair and dragged her to the ground.
The woman attempted to get up, however, Williams dragged her back to the ground, spitting and biting her.
A male tried to intervene and Williams launched her aggression towards him, biting him multiple times to the point of skin penetration and kicking him in the knee.
The victims of this assault suffered multiple injuries including losing portions of hair.
Two years later, Williams was witnessed being dragged out of a car in Auckland by an unknown male when two bystanders came to her aid.
Williams punched the elderly woman in the head, knocking her to the ground, causing a deep laceration that required stitches.
The second person also tried to help and Williams responded by punching him in the face.
Williams assaulted a bar manager after a night of drinking at a bar on Waiheke Island. Photo / NZME
Williams took the Waiheke assaults to trial, eventually pleading guilty on the first morning to downgraded charges of common assault. She also pleaded guilty to another charge of common assault and injuring with intent to injure where pre-sentence reports were called for.
By the time the file landed in Whangārei District Court for sentencing this week, Williams had been through five lawyers and verbally abused multiple probation staff including throwing a racial slur at one.
Crown lawyer Geraldine Kelly said Williams continued to show an aggressive attitude towards all those who attempted to engage with her.
“This woman has previous examples of ringing different probation officers and being abusive, calling people who are answering the phone ‘c****’ when she doesn’t get what she wants.
“It’s not just the health and safety of the workers who check on her, it’s the whole service,” Kelly submitted.
“If she can’t make it to an appointment it’s someone else’s fault, or she wants to change the time, or she hasn’t been picked up. She’s not interested in CADS (Alcohol and drug support), she’s not interested in living without violence because she doesn’t like the way they do things.
“If she would engage, she would get the help and assistance. What is there out there to help her with if she’s not going to engage?” Kelly said.
Judge Deidre Orchard agreed and said Williams continued to make excuses and minimised the seriousness of her offending.
“You have continued to not just fail to engage with probation, but frequently been abusive both on the phone and in person, unco-operative, failed to keep appointments and tried to lay down your own terms.
“They regard you as being unsafe for them to go to your address and it reflects on you because of your abusive behaviour including a racial slur on one occasion and a foul term to describe a probation officer.
“The report writers, and I agree with them, believe that home detention is not an appropriate sentence for you,” Judge Orchard said.
Judge Orchard sentenced Williams to 23 months imprisonment with no substitute to apply for home detention.
“You need to understand once and for all, that you are in no position to lay down conditions to Corrections.”
Shannon Pitman is a Whangārei based reporter for Open Justice covering courts in the Te Tai Tokerau region. She is of Ngāpuhi/ Ngāti Pūkenga descent and has worked in digital media for the past five years. She joined NZME in 2023.
