Agum Deng convicted of six counts of breach of bail while facing assault and serious trespass charges

A former student of criminology at a Melbourne university has found herself in legal hot water after allegedly assaulting a person and trespassing at a home.

An Adelaide woman who studied criminology at a Melbourne university has found herself on the wrong side of the law after allegedly assaulting a person and trespassing into a home.

Agum Deng faced Magistrate Justin Wickens at the Elizabeth Magistrates Court on Monday.

She is charged with serious criminal trespass at a residential address in Hilton and aggravated assault without a weapon dating back to June 2, 2020.

Deng, 22, was allegedly part of a group who drove to an address at Hilton and broke in through a window, before a ‘serious’ assault occurred.

Deng pleaded guilty to six counts of breach of bail, including one occasion where she was found by police drunk in a park.

The police prosecutor said an application had been lodged to revoke Deng’s bail home detention bail agreement.

“She was on home detention bail with strict compliance conditions explained to her at the time,” the prosecutor said.

“The offence for which she’s charged is a serious offence, but on six occasions she’s out and about.

“She’s on the streets, she goes out shopping, goes to buy alcohol and doesn’t comply with what Corrections tell her.

“She just completely ignores the conditions and it’s on that basis we say she should be remanded in custody.”

The prosecutor said Deng had already spent two nights in custody after being arrested on breach of bail.

“She’s been at an unapproved location four times, failed to answer the phone to a corrections officer on one occasion and provided a positive reading for alcohol on another,” the prosecutor said.

Lawyer David Moen, for Deng, said she was dealing with the death of a friend who was a co-accused in the trespass charge and wanted to continue to study again despite facing the charges.

“With the help of her uncle she plans to undergo a mental health care plan and the court will be able to view her compliance on that plan,” Mr Moen said.

“She wants to pick up her studies again and has the support of her uncle.

“She’s a young lady who has never been in custody before, I’m hopeful the matter’s will be resolved in the Magistrates court.”

Magistrate Wickens said it appeared Deng used alcohol to cope with grief.

“You pleaded guilty today to breaching your bail agreement on six separate occasions, you were granted home detention bail ... on January 14 2022,” Mr Wickens said.

“As you’ve heard the prosecutors say that’s what’s called bail of last resort, now today you’ve admitted breaching it six separate times.

“I’m told that a co-accused was someone who you knew quite well passed away not long ago.

“I assume they were like you quite young and it was a very difficult thing for you to deal with, by the sounds of it that’s one of the reasons why you found it difficult to cope and you turned to alcohol.

“Having regard to your young age and lack of prior history I think the two nights you spent in custody were a suitable penalty.”

A home detention compliance report will be ordered before Deng faces court again in March.

Magistrate Wickens convicted Deng of the six counts of breach of bail and said that any further breaches of bail will result in Deng spending time in prison.

She will pay the victims of crime levy and prosecution fee for each count, court fees were waived.