Girl gang allegedly high on aerosol brutally attack retail worker
Juvenile thugs in an escalation of CBD brutality have stolen an e-scooter after bashing its owner and targeted a retail worker by spraying deodorant in the girl’s face.
Cairns
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JUVENILE thugs in an escalation of CBD brutality have stolen an e-scooter after bashing its owner and targeted a retail worker by spraying deodorant in the woman’s face.
Cairns detectives have charged two girls, aged 15 and 13, following investigations into the assault of a 16-year-old girl outside Cairns Central Shopping Centre.
The young retail worker had previously confronted the group for shoplifting and was at the Spence St bus stop after finishing her shift at about 7.30pm on Wednesday when, without warning, the alleged offenders struck.
Police say the victim was punched in the face and knocked to the ground, where she was repeatedly punched, kicked and dragged by the hair.
Her bag containing her school laptop was allegedly stolen and dangerous chemicals from a deodorant can sprayed in her face.
It’s understood the youths had been chroming, and one alleged offender, suffering from toxic gas inhalation, was hospitalised.
Police on patrol in the area saw the alleged assault and were quick to act in what Sergeant Cary Coolican described as a proactive approach to ensuring public safety in the city.
“Police on patrol witnessed the assault take place and quickly apprehended four girls, recovered the victim’s belongings and provided her much-needed support,” she said.
“While this type of behaviour is not tolerated in our community, police were there and very quick to act.”
A 13-year-old Cairns North girl was charged with one count each of common assault and assault occasioning bodily harm and a 15-year-old Woree girl was charged with one count of assault occasioning bodily harm.
Both will appear in the Cairns Children's Court.
In a separate incident on Thursday at 8.20pm, a woman in her 20s was sitting on an Abbott St bench next to her e-scooter when police allege she was stood over for the machine.
Police say three teen boys got in her way and tried to take the e-scooter, a scuffle followed and the young woman was punched in the head.
The woman, joined by members of the public, gave chase before detaining one juvenile on Lake St while the other two allegedly made off with the scooter.
The victim suffered bruising and pain to her ribs and neck.
Police located the group in Lake St and took the teen into custody.
The Cairns City incidents follow a spate of incidents recently, including the assault of Ali Kebabs owner Syed Ali, and one Lake St business owner who said teen criminal activity outside her shop had “broken” her spirit and the situation was at a “tipping point”.
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Originally published as Girl gang allegedly high on aerosol brutally attack retail worker
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