Court notices issued, investigation continues after street festival brawl

Police have issued three court attendance notices and charged one individual following a brawl at the recent NarraBRIGHT street carnival.

An 18-year-old teenager was charged with affray and offensive conduct, and granted conditional bail, in relation to the matter.

A 36-year-old woman as well as two teenagers aged 16 and 17-years-old were issued with court attendance notices, also for affray and offensive conduct. A 12-year-old has been dealt with under the Young Offenders Act.

Police are continuing to investigate the matter, gathering further information.

Officers had been called to the festival at about 8.30pm on March 14 following reports that a fight had broken out outside a local business.

During the incident a 36-year-old woman – unrelated to the young people – attempted to break up the brawl and was allegedly punched in the face and burned with a cigarette.

After police attended the scene, a group of spectators arrived and began to become aggressive and film the incident before police dispersed the crowd, NSW Police said following the incident.

A 12-year-old girl was taken by a family member to Narrabri Hospital for treatment before being released shortly after. Following the incident, a second 12-year-old girl fainted on Maitland Street and was treated by NSW Ambulance paramedics before being taken to hospital for assessment.

Narrabri sector officer-in-charge, Chief Inspector Robert Dunn voiced his concern with the incident.

“It is unfortunate that they have used a family community event to settle their quarrels,” Chief Insp Dunn said.

Police will allege that the Maitland Street brawl arose as part of an ongoing dispute between parties known to each other.

“We cannot condone that sort of behaviour,” Chief Insp Dunn said.