A pregnant woman who bashed another woman with metal chin-up bars and assaulted a child at George Town has been released on parole.
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Tiffany Louise Shaw was jailed in February, 2016 after a jury found her and her mother, Linda Lee Jones, guilty of the attack in 2014.
Shaw, who was pregnant at the time of her crimes, repeatedly hit the victim with a metal bar in a Woolworths carpark while the woman’s 12-year-old was in the backseat.
During their trial, the jury heard both Shaw and her mother threatened to "kill the kid" in the car, because Jones thought the victim slept with her partner.
The victim suffered broken ribs, extensive pain, bruising and cuts, organ damage, and a broken and degloved finger which is now deformed.
She stayed in the Launceston General Hospital for six days after the attack.
Jones was sentenced to two years and Shaw was handed a 20-month prison term by Justice Robert Pearce.
Shaw was 21 when she was jailed.
In his comments on passing sentence, Justice Pearce said Shaw “had a very difficult upbringing. She was exposed to family violence in her home”.
“Violence has been normalised in her life to the extent that she resorts to it herself,” he said.
“She is exposed to many criminal influences including from within her family. She has a long-standing problem with illicit drug abuse.”
Shaw was eligible for parole in January, 2017, but was not released until December.
The Parole Board recently published its decision into her release, stating Shaw had applied for parole on several occasions, but had “difficulties obtaining suitable accommodation”.
The board echoed Justice Pearce’s comments, describing Shaw as “a product of a dysfunctional childhood”.
“The applicant does have insight into the consequences of her offending behaviour and demonstrates some remorse,” the decision read.
“In addition to her dysfunctional family environment other factors identified as complicit in the applicant’s criminal behaviour has been her drug abuse, criminal associations and gambling and financial issues.
“Whilst serving her custodial sentence the applicant has engaged in a number of courses with the aim of enhancing her rehabilitation prospects.
“The applicant presented before the board in a more calm less edgy fashion with what appears to be a new sense of direction and motivation to break the cycle of crime that is apparent in her family.”
Shaw was released on parole from December 18 until October 13, 2018.