Mia Miller pleads guilty, in SA court, to five charges arising from ‘feral’ spitting, violent attack on McDonald’s staff in Adelaide CBD

A teenager on a Xanax bender admits her violent attack on McDonald’s staff was “feral” – but says she shouldn’t face a jail term, because her public apology was televised.

A teenager who went viral for assaulting McDonald’s staff says her televised apology should spare her a seven-year jail term – even though the incident was more violent than the public has seen.

In the Adelaide Magistrates Court on Monday, Mia Miller pleaded guilty to spitting on, throwing drinks at and repeatedly punching two workers while on a Xanax “bender”.

She also admitted trying to strike one of them with a chair, and that she sought to antagonise both men by screaming “hit me back” and “let’s f---ing go, c--t”.

Alexander De Ionno, for Miller, said his client publicly apologised for her “unladylike and feral” behaviour in an interview with 7NEWS five days after the incident.

That, he said, was sufficient proof of her remorse – but Magistrate Michael Barnett was not prepared to accept that claim at surface value.

Mia Miller outside court. NCA NewsWire / David Mariuz

He noted that, in the interview, Miller also said the staff “should have just given me a cup of water and none of this would have happened”.

“Obviously that apology was very public and in response to publicity, but there’s also a degree of victim-blaming that I’ve observed … that may suggest a lack of insight,” he said.

“I will be assisted by some evidence about that, rather than Miller saying to me, through you, this has been a wake-up call and she’s changed her behaviour.”

Miller, of Port Noarlunga, pleaded guilty to two aggravated counts of assault, two counts of committing prohibited acts with bodily fluid, and one count of disorderly conduct.

The charges arose from an incident in the global chain’s Hindley Street store in October 2022, just over a week after her 18th birthday.

A screenshot of Mia Miller spiting at McDonald’s staff. Picture: Supplied

Miller is asking to be convicted of five offences without further penalty. Picture: NCA NewsWire / David Mariuz

She now faces a maximum seven-year prison term under toughened laws designed to protect retail workers from abuse and violence.

On Monday, an SA Police prosecutor said CCTV footage of the incident showed acts of violence not captured in footage uploaded, by members of the public, to social media.

The store’s manager, he said, was punched several times and spat on before any public filming started, and only CCTV captured Miller’s attack on a second employee.

“He was beginning to push, put away tables that had been stacked in the dining area … Miller approached him and punched him in the side of the head,” he said.

“She said ‘hit me back’ and picked up a chair to hit him, but the staffer was able to grab it before it was used … she then told the manager ‘let’s f---ing go, c---’.”

Mr De Ionno told the court his client had “been on a bender” of Xanax, cannabis and alcohol “throughout most of her childhood and young adult life” due to witnessing domestic violence.

He said she no longer associated with negative peer groups, had stopped abusing substances, was being treated for PTSD and should receive convictions with no further penalty.

Mr Barnett remanded Miller on continuing bail for further submissions next month.