Paige Dargin, 33: Sentenced for punching inmate

A 33-year-old woman in the state’s central west assaulted a former inmate in prison after experiencing months of bullying. Read her sentence.

Paige Dargin, 33.

A central west woman who punched an inmate at Dillwynia Correctional Centre after a heated argument has been sentenced.

Paige Dargin, 33, appeared before Dubbo Local Court on Wednesday and pleaded guilty to assault causing actual bodily harm on an inmate.

Documents tendered to the court reveal Dargin and the victim had “ongoing issues with each other where they engaged in regular verbal arguments”.

Both of the women were at Clarence Correctional Centre where they knew each other for approximately four months before moving to Dillwynia Correctional Centre in separate wings.

Dillwynia Correctional Centre in Windsor. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gaye Gerard

In January, the women were rostered to work in the kitchen together when Dargin asked the victim, “Why don’t you like me?”.

After they exchanged a words, the victim walked away and ended their interaction for the rest of the day.

According to the facts, the offender was moved to the same wing as the victim the next morning.

“The victim was walking down the stairs where the accused passed her, walking up the stairs,” the facts state.

“A short time later, the accused turned around and approached the victim from behind, grabbed the victim’s hair and pulled the victim down onto the ground.

“The accused began punching the victim multiple times in the face with a closed fist whilst continuing to pull the victim’s hair” and pulled her onto the ground.

“The victim attempted to get up and defend herself but was unable to due to the force of the punches causing her to feel dizzy and disorientated,” the facts state.

The victim sustained a red mark on the right side of her face and a small bruise under her left eye and was treated for headaches.

When speaking to officers, Dargin said “she called me names and I just lost it”.

Her solicitor Fiona Alamyar said her client experienced “bullying” by the victim and other women in the correctional facility.

Ms Alamyar said Dargin received “harassment for months by the victim” and when she told officers “nothing was done about it”.

Magistrate Gary Wilson convicted and sentenced Dargin to a 12-month Community Corrections Order expiring on May 9.