Miss World Australia recalls ordeal of fending off alleged attackers

The reigning Miss World Australia winner has opened up about a ‘terrifying’ encounter when she and a group of aspiring models were forced to fend off an alleged random attacker outside a shopping centre. 

Jasmine Stringer and a group of Top Model Australia contestants had just finished catwalk training at a gym at Southport Park Shopping Centre on the Gold Coast around 6pm on Friday night.

The group of pageant hopefuls, some as young as 14, walked out onto the street to wait for their taxis when they noticed a woman across the road allegedly acting erratically.

The woman then confronted the models who were allegedly physically and verbally attacked during the frightening ordeal.

‘I tried to stand my ground without escalating the situation, but she launched at me and tried to punch me in the face. It was a terrifying situation,’ Ms Stringer told the Courier Mail.

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Ms Stringer claimed that the woman allegedly continued to hurl abuse and physically attack some of the young ladies. 

The alleged incident was also witnessed by Tiarnie Mueller, who was chaperoning her 16-year-old daughter Eloise, a finalist for the Top Model Australia competition.

The mother from Cairns claimed the woman pulled one of the other contestants to the ground by her hair.

Ms Mueller tried to help free the girl from the alleged attacker – who she thought was going to ‘rip a big chunk out of her hair’.

The woman then allegedly tried to punch Ms Mueller’s other daughter.

‘And then she came at my 14-year-old daughter and was verbally abusing her and tried to hit her,’ she claimed.

The concerned parent said the woman then allegedly tried to open the taxi doors and started abusing her daughters again. 

Miss World Australia director Deborah Miller was shocked such a violent incident could occur in a ‘tourist-friendly area’ like the Gold Coast.

‘People from all over the world come to this place. It was terrifying. I also live in Los Angeles and I’ve never experienced someone with that much rage and anger, and selecting young teenagers and young women,’ she said. 

Additional security would now be immediately implemented to protect participants at all events.

Ms Miller also vowed to ensure there are procedures in place to make sure all contestants are safe. 

A Queensland Police spokeswoman told Daily Mail Australia that a 46-year-old woman was located outside the centre and was given a notice to appear for commit public nuisance. 

She was not charged in relation to the alleged attack.