Mt Druitt: Shania Dickson pleads guilty to assaulting high school girl in Dharruk

A young woman from western Sydney who bashed a 14-year-old outside a high school has escaped conviction. Here’s the latest from court.

Shania Dickson leaving Mt Druitt Local Court on Wednesday. Picture: Tileah Dobson

A young western Sydney woman who bashed a 14-year-old girl outside of a high school has escaped a conviction.

Shania Dickson, 19, faced Mt Druitt Local Court on Wednesday, when she pleaded guilty to one charge of assault occasioning actual bodily harm and was sentenced to a conditional release order of two years.

Documents tendered to the court state on February 12, Shania and her alleged co-accused older sister, Teliea, 21, approached two 14-year-olds and a 12-year-old outside a high school in Dharruk.

Police allege Teliea had an argument with the 12-year-old girl about social media posts. One of the 14-year-old girls stood in front of her as Teliea is alleged to have begun swearing and yelling.

Police allege a fight broke out between Teliea and that 14-year-old, with Shania and her victim trying to separate them.

Teliea Dickson has maintained a plea of not guilty to all charges. Picture: Tileah Dobson

Shania’s victim walked away after failing to separate the other two, with Dickson confronting her a few metres away from the alleged assault.

Documents state Shania and her victim got physical, with another school student trying to pull them apart and the two fell and rolled around on the ground.

The case was heard at Mt Druitt Local Court.

Eventually, teachers who had witnessed the assaults took the victims into the school, locked the main gate and put the school into lockdown.

Police were called to the school, with Shania’s sister allegedly fleeing the scene but Dickson remained behind.

Teliea maintains a plea of not guilty and her matters remain before the court.

Officers took statements from the victims, noting they both had sustained numerous injuries including some swelling to their faces and scratches.

Police also obtained mobile phone footage of the assaults as multiple school students, teachers, parents and other bystanders witnessed the incidents.

Shania admitted to police she had assaulted her victim but maintained she had been punched first.

Police arrested Shania and took her to the Mt Druitt Police Station, where during the interview, she told the officers she couldn’t explain why she didn’t “walk away”.

In court on Wednesday, Shania escaped conviction but was sentenced to a conditional release order of two years by Magistrate Debra Maher, who warned her the leniency “will only happen once”.

“I accept that the defendant has what appears to be genuine remorse,” Ms Maher said.

“(She’s shown) some insight which is not always the case.”