A woman who hurled a torrent of racial abuse at an Asian woman on a Sydney train has been placed on a 12-month good behaviour bond.
Karen Bailey, 55, pleaded guilty to offensive behaviour, following her rant earlier this month in which she mocked the language and facial features of another passenger.
A video recording of her abuse went viral.
In sentencing her at Downing Centre local court on Thursday, magistrate Teresa O’Sullivan said the verbal abuse was “out of character”.
“People who have known you for a long time haven’t seen you exhibit any racist behaviour,” O’Sullivan said. She recorded no conviction against Bailey and placed her on a good behaviour bond.
In the rant, Bailey verbally attacked a man who stood up to her after two children refused to give their seats up.
“Is it really that small that you can’t get an Aussie girl? Poor man. Look at this bogan, he has got a gook.”
Following the unwanted publicity, Bailey – identifying herself as Sue Wilkins – told the Nine Network she just had a “brain snap” and could not stop. She also told ninemsn she had had a rotten day and had been scammed out of $100,000 from a man she had met on a dating website.
“I am absolutely appalled by my behaviour,” Bailey told the court.
O’Sullivan accepted she was remorseful and had been under a lot of “stress and pressure” that day.