Enraged Albury woman couldn't find intended victim so she knocked on another door

Just minutes earlier, Leah Jade Demery had gone to another flat at the same address to confront a woman because of a social media app message.

She had become enraged over supposed threats related to a dog, so armed herself with the hockey stick and a pocket knife.

The resident, in fear for his partner and their child, grabbed the stick off Demery and belted her, forcing the 45-year-old to flee.

He was arrested by police after Demery had to be taken to Albury hospital to be treated for her wound, which required stitches.

But a police interview quickly established the man had acted in self-defence and in the protection of his family.

The victim was released, but Demery was arrested and charged on handing herself in to Albury police two weeks later, on September 23.

During a search, police uncovered two small plastic resealable bags in her handbag - one contained 1.5 grams of cannabis, the other 0.44 grams of methamphetamine.

Demery, of Crisp Street, appeared in Albury Local Court on Tuesday, November 14, via a video link to the Dillwynia Correctional Centre at Windsor.

Defence lawyer Bonnie Vogel entered guilty pleas on her behalf to charges of using an offensive weapon with the intention of committing an indictable offence, stalking or intimidation, a second offence of custody of a knife in a public place and two counts of possessing a prohibited drug.

Ms Vogel asked magistrate Sally McLaughlin for a three-week adjournment so her client could be assessed for a drug rehabilitation program.

Demery was on an intensive corrections order at the time of her offending, but this had not been revoked.

Police said Demery regularly used illicit drugs, which made her psychologically "unstable"

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Demery was sent the message about a dog called Queenie, by a friend known as Katrina, on September 9 at 8.46pm, but did not respond until the following day at 5.29am.

The court heard Demery's response contained "multiple spelling and grammatical errors" though "it was clear she was referring to a fictional character in the movie Suicide Squad".

"The character is well-known for violent outbursts and in fact it's known to carry a baseball bat," police said.

Police established that Katrina lived in a Crisp Street unit just a few doors away from the offender's home.

CCTV footage captured Demery leaving for Katrina's home at 7.22am, swinging the bat and carrying the knife.

"The accused's walk can only be described as with purpose and aggressive."

Demery knocked on the woman's door, but after she got no response went to a neighbouring unit.

She repeatedly knocked on that door and on the occupant answering, began "rambling and yelling" at him.

"During the rambling she made mention of dogs and stated her friend was kidnapped."

Because of "the lady at the front door", the couple told their six-year-old son to stay upstairs.

The boy's mother left the front entry to call police, at which point Demery attempted to open the fly-wire door.

Her husband then opened the door to go outside.

"The accused," police said, "was still swinging the hockey stick around in close proximity to (the man)."

Concerned by her continual threats, as she also pulled out the knife, the man grabbed the hockey stick and struck Demery "with force".

Demery, who was further refused bail, will be sentenced on December 5.

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