Gilles Plains schoolgirl bashing: 15-year-old girl refused bail because victim still being harassed online, court hears
A teenage girl who bashed a school mate won’t be released into the community because her young victim is still being harassed online by the girl’s “associates”.
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New threat made against attacked schoolgirl as teen appears in court
A 15-year-old girl who bashed a schoolmate, causing serious facial injuries and broken teeth, has been refused home detention bail in part because her victim is still being harassed by the girl’s “associates” online.
The girl, who cannot be named because she is under-age, pleaded guilty to the brutal assault, as well as breaching bail for another separate assault, in Youth Court on Monday.
But Magistrate Luke Davis refused to order a home detention report for the girl and remanded her in custody for at least another two weeks.
He said releasing the teenager into the community would be to expose her to a “volatile situation” exacerbated by media coverage and “the use more broadly of social media”.
“I refuse to order a home detention report because of the seriousness of the admitted offending, the admitted breaches of bail and the concerns for the victim’s safety,” he said.
A police prosecutor told the court that there were still “significant concerns for the safety of the victim” who is still being harassed by associates of the two girls online.
The 15-year-old’s lawyer said that her client was unaware of what was going on in the community because she has been in the Adelaide Youth Training Centre since being arrested almost three weeks ago.
The court heard that the Education Department was willing to return the girl to the same school as her victim under a strict program, which would keep her on a different campus.
However, neither the prosecution nor the girl’s lawyer thought that move was appropriate.
Instead, the court heard, moves were afoot to get the girl into a different school away from the victim of the assault.
The 13-year-old Year 8 victim was found bloodied and distraught by her mother outside a fast food restaurant on February 4.
The young girl had her two front teeth knocked out in the assault as well as suffering a concussion and spinal injures.
A 14-year-old girl and 15-year-old girl were both arrested and charged with aggravated assault cause harm.
The younger girl was released on bail but was arrested again a few days later when video footage emerged of the girl allegedly threatening to “cave in” her victim’s new teeth.
On Monday, the 15-year-old girl also indicated negotiations were under way with the prosecution over a charge of assault causing harm at Rundle Mall in the early hours of December 21.
The girl’s lawyer said the teenagers role in the assault was not disputed, but the level of harm caused by the attack was in dispute.
