Figtree Shopping Centre ‘attack’: Girls face court after young girl hit, punched

Three teenage girls accused of luring another girl into a shopping centre bathroom before kicking and punching her in the head so many times she suffered a seizure have faced court for the first time. WARNING: DISTURBING IMAGES

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Three girls accused of attacking another teen “like a pack of wild dogs” could face a maximum of 25 years behind bars if found guilty of a violent assault in a shopping centre bathroom.

The three girls, two aged 15 and one aged 17, faced children’s court on Monday, after a disturbing and graphic video of a “vicious and premeditated assault” went viral on social media over the weekend.

The video, which shows two of the alleged attackers kick, punch and stomp on the 14-year-old girl’s head while another filmed, was reported to Wollongong Police by numerous concerned witnesses, after the video ended with the girl having a seizure.

The video lead to an investigation which allegedly uncovered that one of the teen’s had attacked the same girl just months earlier, allegedly throwing her onto the train tracks at Woonona train station.

The trio faced court on Monday after being charged with a variety of offences, including

take/detain in company with intent to get advantage occasion actual bodily harm, which carries a maximum of 25 years jail in the children’s court.

Three girls will face court after they allegedly punched and kicked another girl at the Figtree Grove shopping centre.

The trio allegedly lured the girl into the bathroom.

In documents tendered to the court, police allege the assault was premeditated, with the two 15-year-old girl’s planning the attack over text message just hours before it was carried out on Friday afternoon.

It’s alleged one of the 15-year-olds contacted the other and “requested she help her assault” the 14-year-old, after she believed she had created a fake Instagram account in her name.

The girl agreed, and they allegedly hatched a plan to lure her into the parents’ room at Figtree Grove shopping centre just south of Wollongong.

It’s alleged the 14-year-old caught the bus to the shopping centre, before she ran into one of the girls, who spent the next 30-60 minutes walking around with her.

In the documents, police claim just before 5.30pm, the girl told the alleged victim she needed to charge her phone, and asked her to go with her to the centre’s parent’s room.

The girl agreed and walked into the room first, when the other girl and their 17-year-old jumped out from behind a curtain.

What then allegedly happened was described as a “vicious attack” by police, involving several punches and kicks to the head.

While the two 15-year-olds attacked the defenceless alleged victim, police claim the 17-year-old filmed it.

Three girls have been charged after a 14-year-old was allegedly attacked in the bathroom of Figtree Grove shopping centre. Picture: Google

At various points in the video, the girl can be called screaming for help and for the girl’s to stop, at one point yelling “please stop, you’re going to kill me”.

“(The 14-year-old) was defenceless on the ground to the group who were attacking her like a pack of wild dogs,” court documents read.

The alleged attack only stopped when the 14-year-old girl started to have a seizure on the floor. Before leaving the parents’ room, the trio picked up the girls phone and smashed it before throwing it into the toilet.

The 15-year-olds were arrested on Sunday and charged with take/detain in company with intent to get advantage occasion actual bodily harm, assault occasioning actual bodily harm in company of others and destroy or damage property.

The 17-year-old allegedly responsible for filming the attack was also charged with take/detain in company with intent to get advantage occasion actual bodily harm and assault occasioning actual bodily harm in company of others.

The 15-year-old allegedly responsible for much of the attack and the train station assault cried as she was refused bail by a magistrate on Monday, at multiple times saying “I’m so sorry your honour”.

The girl’s defence lawyer argued for her release, stating she could stay with her foster parents and abide by a strict curfew. However, the magistrate said that a curfew would not be adequate to mitigate the risk she posed to the victim or the community.

The two other girls did not apply for bail and were formally refused.

Each of the girls will remain in custody at Reiby Juvenile Justice Centre until they next appear in front of the courts.