A young hairdresser and teenage TikTok influencer has sobbed in court as she learned her fate over the assault of a pizza shop owner during an argument over a food order.
Tylah Ann Shorter, 19, faced Caloundra Magistrates Court on Tuesday charged with a count each of serious assaulting a person over the age of 60 and public nuisance.
The incident occurred outside of a pizza restaurant in Caloundra, on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast on February 3.
The court heard that Shorter punched the owner ‘haymaker style’ after an argument between the two and a co-offender who falsely claimed she hadn’t received a pizza she never paid for.
Acting Magistrate Raelene Ellis ordered the influencer to complete 150 hours of community service and placed her on an 18-month probation.
The court heard that the owner had offered to give the pair a pizza in an attempt to defuse the situation, Sunshine Coast Daily reports.
Shorter and the co-accused continued to verbally abuse the owner while waiting for the free order before the pair were asked to leave as they were driving potential customers.
Shen struck the exacerbated owner with a ‘wild punch’, police prosecutor Stephen Potter told the court.
The blow knocked the owner’s glasses off their head and smashed on the ground.
The court heard that Shorter and her co-accused continued to yell from outside of the store, where they were arrested shortly after.
Shorter’s defence lawyer, Matthew Cooper, told the court that his client was intoxicated and dealing with personal issues at the time.
Mr Cooper added that Shorter had since penned apologies and completed alcohol and anger management programs.
He also noted Shorter didn’t start the confrontation but was responsible for the ‘brief’ violence towards the owner.
Magistrate Ellis scolded the influencer, saying workers have a right to be safe in their place of employment.
‘They did not deserve the way you treated them,’ she said.
Shorter was also ordered to pay the owner $180 to replace the broken glasses and an extra $250 in restitution.
No conviction was recorded.