Abi Rose Woodcroft: Marrickville teen guilty of stabbing girl at Girrahween Park party

A teen stabbed a partygoer several times after a kiss at an 18th birthday party in the inner west led to chaotic and violent scenes. 

Abi Rose Woodcroft. Picture: Facebook

UPDATE

A woman who stabbed a 15-year-old girl because she pushed her boyfriend at a wild 18th birthday party last year has avoided spending any time in jail over the incident.

Abi Rose Woodcroft, 20, stabbed the teen multiple times after a party in Earlwood got wildly out of control over a moment of passion between the minor and another man.

A court had previously been told Woodcroft only meant to “scratch” the young girl who ended up in the emergency department at Randwick Children’s Hospital where she needed surgery last March.

Emergency services raced to the scene and had to shut down the party at Girrahween Park, Earlwood.

The agreed facts state Woodcroft – who was 19 at the time – used a small knife on her key ring to stab a 15-year-old girl three times in the arm following a fight between the pair at the party.

The victim suffered deep stab wounds to her left arm and required surgery after being rushed to hospital. She also suffered a wound to her lower back.

Abi Rose Woodcroft. Picture: Facebook

The agreed facts stated the victim had earlier been seen kissing an older teenager, 19, at the party, which sparked a response among party goers.

The young girl had consumed some goon, Fat Lamb (alcoholic drink) and half a cap of MDMA, the facts state.

They add that Woodcroft had messaged the victim’s sister on Instagram to apologise and said the knife “was under 10cm”

“You will need this, this is what I used that night,” she told officers when she pulled out the keyring knife while changing at the police station.

Woodcroft then ended up “screaming” at the 15-year-old after she pushed her boyfriend in the fracas.

She then fought with the victim’s friend, wrestling on the floor and pulling her hair.

“(Woodcroft’s boyfriend) handed her the knife and she approached the victim," the facts state.

Woodcroft scuffled with the teen girl and stabbed her three times in the arm.

She was arrested 12 days later at her Marrickville home.

“She was sent photographs of the injuries by (the victim’s sister) and upon seeing them could not believe she caused that much damage,” the facts state.

On Monday at Burwood Local Court Woodcroft’s attempt to have the case thrown out on mental health grounds was rejected.

Magistrate Susan Horan sentenced her to a two-year community corrections order after Woodcroft pleaded guilty to reckless wounding last year.

EARLIER 

By Gary Hamilton-Irvine on December 18, 2020

INNER WEST TEEN GUILTY OF STABBING GIRL

A teen who used a knife on her key chain to stab another girl multiple times at a party in Sydney’s inner west claims she was only trying to scratch the victim and was shocked by the injuries.

Abi Rose Woodcroft, 20, from Marrickville, has pleaded guilty to one charge of reckless wounding over the frightening incident which unfolded during an 18th birthday party in Earlwood on March 21.

The agreed facts state Woodcroft – who was 19 at the time – used a small knife on her key ring to stab a 15-year-old girl three times in the arm following a fight between the pair at the party in Girrahween Park.

The victim suffered deep stab wounds to her left arm and required surgery after being rushed to hospital. She also suffered a wound to her lower back.

The agreed facts stated the victim had earlier been seen kissing an older teenager at the party, which sparked a response among party goers.

“(About) 10pm the victim was kissing an unknown male. This caused issues with people in attendance as she is 15 years old and the male was 19 years old,” the agreed facts stated.

As people became involved, the victim pushed another partygoer believed to be Woodcroft’s boyfriend.

“The accused approached the victim screaming at her for touching her boyfriend,” the agreed facts stated.

A fight began between Woodcroft and the victim’s friend which included hair pulling and a scuffle on the ground.

After the fight was broken up, the groups were separated but Woodcroft again approached the victim “walking quickly and yelling”.

The agreed facts stated another scuffle began between Woodcroft and the victim, and Woodcroft stabbed the victim three times in the left arm.

The victim was bleeding heavily and required treatment from paramedics before being taken to hospital.

Woodcroft was back in Burwood Local Court on Friday.

Woodcroft, who quickly left the party with her boyfriend, was arrested at her home in Marrickville 12 days later.

She handed over the knife on her key ring without being asked by police and took part in a police interview.

“The accused stated she only intended to cause scratches to the victim as she did not believe the knife would cause that much damage,” the agreed facts stated.

“She was sent photographs of the injuries by (the victim’s sister) and upon seeing them could not believe she caused that much damage.”

Woodcroft appeared back in Burwood Local Court on Friday to be sentenced for the stabbing.

However, her lawyer asked for an adjournment after telling the court Woodcroft was making an application for the matter to be dismissed on mental health grounds, and a psychologist report was still being prepared.

Her sentence date and mental health application have both been adjourned until February.

During a bail application earlier this year, a court heard Woodcroft suffered from mental health issues including undiagnosed depression, anxiety and PTSD. She remains on bail.