Teen girl spared jail time despite involvement in terrifying Elsternwick kidnapping of Benjamin Phikhohpoom

A teen getaway driver involved in the violent daylight abduction of a Glen Eira student and the horrifying bashing of another girl has been slammed for her “crocodile tears” as she faced sentencing.

Benjamin Phikhohpoom’s kidnappers faced a children’s court on Wednesday. Picture: David Caird

A teen getaway driver involved in the violent abduction of a Glen Eira student and the horrifying bashing of another girl has been slammed for her “crocodile tears” before a magistrate told her she wouldn’t spend a day behind bars.

Two teenagers – a boy and girl both aged 15 – involved in the abduction and violent assault of Benjamin Phikhohpoom in September last year, pleaded guilty in a children’s court on Wednesday.

The court heard Benjamin, 15, was “punched and kicked” as he walked home from school before being pulled to a stolen car when he wouldn’t hand over his mobile phone.

Benjamin was then dragged 150m, before being hurled from the fast moving vehicle, causing him to hit the kerb, have a seizure and vomit blood.

He was taken to the Royal Children’s Hospital and put into an induced coma for six days and spent weeks in hospital.

Glen Eira College student Benjamin Phikhohpoom is terrified of falling back into a coma. Picture: David Caird

In court on Wednesday, the female co-accused was sentenced to complete a six month youth attendance order — meaning she will spend no time in jail for the shocking attack.

The court heard the two 15-year-olds involved in the attack on Benjamin had falsely imprisoned and violently assaulted another teen, just three weeks prior.

The male accused lured a girl to his home, where he and three others locked her into the house, forced her to undress and physically assaulted her while she was wearing only underwear.

Video of the shocking attack filmed on a co-accused’s phone was unable to be shown in court, due to the level of violence.

The magistrate slammed the female co-accused as she began to cry, calling her emotional outburst “crocodile tears”.

“You weren’t crying in the video when you were lashing into (victim) with all your might,” the magistrate said.

“It was vicious, it was violent, it was the worst thing I’ve ever seen.”

The victim eventually escaped — dressed only in her shorts and socks — to a nearby service station.

Benjamin Phikhohpoom and his mother Wannisa Srichan submitted victim impact statements to the children’s court. Picture: David Caird

In relation to his assault, Benjamin’s victim impact statement told the court of his new reality.

“The feeling of being in a coma has been etched into my mind,” the court heard.

“It felt like being in a nightmare and wanting to wake up, but not being able to.”

In his statement, Benjamin said he felt “dejected and pissed” that he was left unable to walk following the accident, and that he had “lost a chunk of school life for something he had no part in”.

Benjamin was in a coma for days before spending weeks in hospital. Picture: 10 news

“I can’t leave the house by myself, not just for my parents’ fear, but because of mine as well,” the statement read.

“Any time someone walks past me, I’m scared they’re going to attack me.”

The teen’s mum also submitted a statement to the court, saying Benjamin was unable to sleep unless his “bedroom door was open with a hallway light on”.

Benjamin was put into an induced coma for six days after the assault, and is still in rehab for the injuries. Picture: 10 news

The two accused teens also pleaded guilty to charges including dangerous driving and thefts after stealing multiple cars while on bail.

The court heard the boy had been clocked driving at speeds up to 210km/h in stolen cars while using a mobile phone, as seen in footage taken from a co-accused’s mobile phone.

The girl faced similar charges, including driving at 123km/h on Toorak Rd in Camberwell, also in a stolen car.

The 15-year-old boy’s matter was adjourned to October 16, while the court waits for a sentencing report to be completed.

Originally published as Teen girl spared jail time despite involvement in terrifying Elsternwick kidnapping of Benjamin Phikhohpoom