Teen dealt community based order after violent assault of girl who ‘spread rumours’

A teenager from Perth’s south has been handed a community based order after a brutal group attack on a young girl that was filmed. The teenager, who cannot be named because she is underage, appeared before Rockingham Children’s Court on September 6 and pleaded guilty to one count of assault occasioning bodily harm. Police prosecutor Sgt Brian Sutherland told the court on May 20, the teen and two co-accused were involved in a violent assault on a young female acquaintance. He said the offender and her friends entered McDonald’s in Rockingham about 2.30pm to speak to the victim, who worked at the store. Sgt Sutherland said they spoke briefly inside the store before the trio left a short time later. After the victim’s shift ended, she headed to a nearby bus stop, where the group of girls approached her again. The teenager confronted the victim and another person recorded on their mobile phone as she punched the girl in the face and kicked her legs, causing her to fall to the ground. A co-accused also delivered multiple punches to the victim’s head and body. The victim contacted her mother and was taken to hospital with back pain, bruising and hair loss. The court heard the victim quit her job at McDonald’s not long after the attack. The incident was reported to police and the offender admitted to the assault, telling police: “She called me a s*** and I was angry”. Legal Aid lawyer Deborah Donovan said the offender was “very sorry for what happened” and the victim had been spreading rumours about her to mutual friends. “She felt derogated by the other girl, however accepts that she shouldn’t have acted in that way,” she said. Ms Donovan said the teen had experienced bullying in the past and had underlying trauma that influenced how she dealt with certain situations. Magistrate Sarah Dewsbury said the psychological report provided to the court said the offending was “out of character” for the teen and her “trauma” had had a significant impact on her. Ms Dewsbury imposed a four-month community based order with supervision and requirements.