Alajeck Anai fronts County Court to appeal sentence
An 18-year-old involved in an alleged pack attack on an autistic 14-year-old girl in front of shocked onlookers on Altona Pier fights to have sentence quashed.
West
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A teenager sent to a youth justice centre for a savage attack on a 14-year-old autistic girl on the Altona Pier has successfully fought to have her sentence quashed.
Alajeck Anai, 18, was ordered by the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court in October last year to spend six months at a youth justice facility for the vicious attack on Dakota Hyatt in February 2024.
The County Court on Wednesday set aside the magistrates’ court orders and substituted them with a 15-month community corrections order and 80 hours of community work.
Judge Pardeep Tiwana has also ordered that the 30 hours of treatment and rehabilitation were to be counted as part of the community work.
Anai pleaded guilty to one charge of affray while police withdrew charges of intentionally causing injury and recklessly causing injury.
She was one of four teenage girls accused of repeatedly punching Dakota to the head at Altona Pier before a bystander stepped in and urged them to stop.
Anai was responsible for 43 of the 55 punches that were allegedly thrown at Dakota. The other alleged attackers are before court.
Speaking outside court following Anai’s sentencing in October, Dakota’s distraught mother Anna Axiak said her daughter was “too scared” to live a normal teenage life.
“I just hope they leave my daughter alone. She hasn’t been back to school since. It’s been heart wrenching watching my daughter…I can’t help her,” she said, fighting back tears.
In sentencing Anai in October, Magistrate Justin Foster said the attack was difficult to understand and it was quite remarkable that Anai could have such hate, anger and animosity towards a person she didn’t know.
“You essentially beat the crap out of her and you did that without any provocation whatsoever,” he said.
Mr Foster said given the extensive bruising to Dakota’s face and legs, it was a wonder that she didn’t suffer serious injuries.
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