Magistrate warns Goulburn woman Erin Jaye Hart of seriousness of spitting in light of the COVID-19 pandemic

Erin Jaye Hart, 37, pleaded guilty to one count of common assault at Goulburn Local Court on Wednesday.

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Police documents revealed police witnessed Hart yelling abuse at her neighbour from across the road while attending a separate incident about 3.20pm on August 17.

According to the documents, Hart walked across the road and up to the house continuing to yell abuse at the victim while picking things up from the yard and throwing them.

Hart then spat towards the victim and the spit landed on the victim's face.

The court heard there was ongoing animosity between Hart and her neighbour.

Hart's lawyer Matthew Adam said Hart accepted her behaviour was inappropriate and essentially, she had "lost it" on the day of the assault.

Mr Adam said it wasn't Hart's intention to spit on the victim's face and asked the magistrate to consider this in her sentencing.

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Magistrate Geraldine Beattie said spitting was a serious form of assault and carried a two-year jail sentence.

She noted the heightened seriousness of the crime in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"You wouldn't want someone spitting and it going on your face," she said.

Magistrate Beattie accepted there was a long history between Hart and her neighbour but said she handled the situation "the wrong way".

"You could've walked away... you should've been the grown up in that situation," she said.

Hart was put on a 15-month community corrections order.

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