Paige Surplice repeatedly punched Croydon housemate during fight over rent money
A 19-year-old childcare worker who snapped during a fight in Croydon with her ex-housemate over rent and repeatedly punched the woman in the head as she lay on the ground has walked from court — with an order to find better ways to deal with her anger.
Outer East
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A young childcare worker who throttled her former housemate following a fight over the rent has been released on a good behaviour bond after pleading guilty to unlawful assault.
Paige Surplice, 19, faced the Ringwood Magistrates’ Court on February 12 following the altercation with her former housemate in Croydon on December 11, 2018.
Leading Senior Constable Sarah Logan told the court Surplice punched her victim to the head, causing the woman to fall to the ground where Surplice continued to hit her.
Surplice then went inside the house and in her rage kicked a broom, which fell against a door and caused damage, Leading Sen-Constable Logan told the court.
Representing herself, Surplice told the court the other woman was verbally abusive to her and implied that she was an alcoholic, prompting her to lash out.
She also told the court she was a childcare worker and wanted police to press charges on her victim, who she alleged had also punched her.
Magistrate Tim Walsh told Ms Surplice her behaviour was unacceptable and she needed to find better ways to deal with her anger.
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He also instructed her to speak to the police if she wished to press retaliatory charges.
“We can’t walk around punching people in the head because they aggravate us,” Mr Walsh said.
“We can’t behave that way.”
Surplice pleaded guilty to unlawful assault and wilful damage.
Mr Walsh told Surplice that provided she behaved and didn’t land herself back in court on fresh offending within the next six months the charges would be dismissed.