Britney Anne Ford jailed for role in Stirling Terrace violence as shocking details of brawl revealed

A 23-year-old woman has been jailed for 18 months over her role in a shocking Albany street brawl as blow-by-blow details of the melee were revealed in court for the first time. Britney Anne Ford was sentenced in Albany District Court on Thursday, where she pleaded guilty to one charge of doing an act with intent to harm which was likely to endanger the life, health or safety of a person. The brawl erupted in the Albany CBD in the early hours of July 18 last year, leaving two men seriously injured, weapons strewn across the ground and the community reeling. Former WAFL player Russell Wynne, 25, was left fighting for his life after he was repeatedly hit with a machete then struck by a vehicle. The court was told Mr Wynne is now non-verbal and facing the possibility of permanent disability. District Court Judge Amanda Burrows found Ford liable for injuries caused to Mr Wynne by the machete because she handed the machete to his alleged attacker. Albany man Paul Kenneth Junior Hayward allegedly swung the machete and injured Mr Wynne, causing the “partial severing of his right ear”. Mr Hayward has pleaded not guilty to the same charge as Ford and is scheduled to appear in Albany District Court on August 3. The court was told before arriving at Stirling Terrace, the two groups involved in the fight were at a party which police had attended because of an altercation. Ford later told police she was assaulted at the party by two women and two men. The court was told after the party, the Albany woman travelled to Stirling Terrace in her car with Trymain Paul Maxton, Paul Kenneth Junior Hayward, Corey Justin Brian Woods and two other men. In the car was a metal chain measuring about 2m long, while Woods had a machete which was about 60cm long. Mr Hayward and Mr Wynne were on Stirling Terrace with about 20 other people from the two groups. Judge Burrows said Ford and other members of her group “formed a common intention to prosecute an unlawful purpose, and that purpose was to assault one or more members of the group”. The opposing groups gathered on the street about 1.20am and a brawl erupted involving a variety of weapons. Anthony Willis Coyne allegedly had a 30cm kitchen knife hidden under his jumper, while Joel Derek Coyne was allegedly armed with a 1m metal pole. The court was told Mr Wynne was unarmed at the start of the fight. Ford was captured on CCTV handing the machete to Mr Hayward and the metal chain to Woods after retrieving them from her car. Woods was seen on CCTV swinging the metal chain in an attempt to strike people. He pleaded guilty to being armed in a way that may cause fear and received an eight-month suspended prison sentence on October 7. Mr Hayward was allegedly seen on CCTV raising the machete above his head and chasing Mr Wynne, who fell to the ground. He allegedly struck Mr Wynne twice with the machete, including at least one blow to the head, partially severing his right ear. The court was told people then intervened and stopped him striking Mr Wynne with the machete a third time. Judge Burrows said the machete blow to the head was the act that “was likely to endanger his life, health or safety”. She said Ford was liable for that act because she gave Mr Hayward the machete and participated in the pursuit of the opposing group. The court was told Mr Wynne then took possession of the machete and used it to strike Mr Hayward, who had been knocked to the ground. It is alleged that Anthony Coyne then kicked Mr Hayward in the back and “jumped and stomped on his head with both feet” before Mr Wynne struck Mr Hayward in the head with the machete. Joel Coyne then allegedly hit Mr Hayward in the head with the metal pole, while at the same time Anthony Coyne allegedly kicked him in the head. Joel and Anthony Coyne are due to appear in Albany District Court on August 3 after pleading not guilty to one count each of being armed in a way that may cause fear, and one count each of doing an act with intent to harm which was likely to endanger the life, health or safety of a person. Mr Hayward was injured and unable to get up from the ground. It is alleged that Anthony Coyne, armed with the kitchen knife, and Joel Coyne, armed with the metal pole, threatened members of the other group who were trying to help him. The court was told Mr Wynne then struck Mr Hayward with the machete again. That was when Maxton, who was behind the wheel of Ford’s car, drove the vehicle into Mr Wynne before fleeing the scene. “Mr Wynne can be seen to fly into the air ... before hitting his head on the footpath,” Judge Burrows said. Maxton was initially charged with attempted murder but the charge was downgraded to grievous bodily harm. He pleaded guilty to GBH and failing to stop after an incident in Stirling Gardens Magistrates Court on Wednesday. He is due to face Perth District Court on August 19. Mr Hayward was hospitalised for several days after the brawl with serious injuries to his head, forearm and hands. Mr Wynne was rushed to Albany Health Campus then flown to Royal Perth Hospital in a critical condition. “He had a life-threatening brain injury, a skull fracture, a traumatic partial amputation of the right ear,” Judge Burrows said. He was placed in an induced coma and spent more than three months in hospital, requiring full-time care in a “minimally conscious state”, according to State prosecutor Katherine Kemm. “He’s non-verbal, relying on an attendant-propelled wheelchair,” she said. “Given the level of his impairments, it’s likely he will be left with significant level of disability with long-term care supports.” Judge Burrows said the incident had “ongoing and continuing impacts on the people of Albany”. “People, as a result of this, are scared to go out, are scared to go to the nightclub and are scared to go out to dinner because there was such a violent altercation which occurred in the middle of town involving weapons and groups of individuals,” she said. Judge Burrows said Ford could have left the scene but instead chose to get the machete and chain from her car. “Mr Hayward used the machete to strike Mr Wynne’s head, causing significant injury to his ear. There were two to three blows,” she said. “The potential for more serious injury or death was significant from the striking of the blow to the head with a bladed weapon of some 50cm in length. It is a very serious offence with very serious consequences. “I do accept that you are remorseful for your behaviour and you’ve accepted responsibility for it by your plea and you did demonstrate victim empathy in the interview with the police. “Mr Wynne is a man who’s known to you and you are fully cognisant of the impact that it has had on him and his family. “