Bjorn Burke, Staff Reporter

A woman accused of assaulting another was ordered to pay a fine or serve time in prison, when she appeared before the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate's Court on Thursday.

Charged with assault occasioning bodily harm is Nicola Williams who pleaded "guilty with explanation" to the offence.

Allegations are that, on the day of the incident, Williams and the female complainant got into an altercation in which it is alleged that the complainant was spitting at Williams. Things rapidly became physical, allegedly resulting in the accused using a stone to hit and injure the complainant.

Williams was subsequently arrested and charged.

"She kept spitting at me and when I went to her she went for a knife." Williams began. "I hit her with a stone,"

Senior Resident Magistrate Judith Pusey asked the accused woman if she felt her actions were justified.

Williams further explained to the sitting magistrate that spatially, the complainant was a certain distance away from her when she used the stone to hit her.

"Could she have reasonably cut you from that distance?" RM Pusey asked.

Subsequently, Williams was ordered to pay a fine of $15,000 or serve six months in prison. A fingerprint order was also made against her.