Natasha Zec: Young mum’s ‘disgusting’ shopping centre rampage in Melbourne’s west

A young mum who bashed a group of strangers at Highpoint Shopping Centre, egged on by her boyfriend, says she is disgusted by her actions.

A young mum bashed six people in a drug-fuelled frenzy at Highpoint Shopping Centre because someone asked her for a lighter, a court has heard.

Natasha Zec appeared in the online Magistrates Court on Thursday pleading guilty to more than 30 charges including assault, affray, burglary and spitting at police officers.

As prosecutors read out summaries of her offending, the 30-year-old hung her head in shame, later describing her actions as “disgusting”.

“I’m embarrassed and shocked,” she said. “I don’t ever want to touch drugs again.”

Magistrate Marita Altman said this was, unfortunately, an all too common occurrence once people had “dried out” in prison.

“We see this so often,” she said. “When they come into custody they’re horrified at what they’ve done.”

Ms Altman said the most serious charges related to the violence attack of random members of the public outside Highpoint Shopping Centre.

The court heard Zec and her off-and-on-again boyfriend were at a bus stop outside the centre on November 14 when she began verbally abusing an unknown male who asked her for a lighter.

Prosecutor Senior Constable Matthew Collins said the incident was filmed by multiple witnesses, with Zec moving from victim to victim attacking them in a drug-induced rage while egged on by her partner.

“She charged at one victim, knocking her over,” Senior Constable Collins said. “She grabbed her ears and hair and hit her head to the pavement three times.

“Shut your mouth, you f****** sticky beak,” she said to another victim before punching them in the head five times.

Senior Constable Collins detailed a list of injuries to Zec’s victims which included bruising, abrasions, black eyes and bleeding.

“This happened in public and in the view of children,” he said.

Her lawyer, Emma Strugnell, conceded the incident was “objectively serious”, but argued her lack of stability in childhood should be taken into account.

“We have a young woman, now aged 30 with a significant background of deprivation,” she said.

“This period in custody has been a circuit breaker. She’s now clean and has expressed genuine shame and remorse.”

She said Zec, who has been held at the Dame Phyllis Frost Centre for 167 days, wanted to move on with her life and had developed an interest in botany.

“She’s expressed she wants to be a positive role model for her daughter.”

Ms Altman said she was not prepared to release her immediately and wanted to explore the option of releasing her on bail as a “trial run” in the community.

“I share the prosecution‘s concern about her risk of relapsing,” she said.

“This bail is a way for people to prove they can comply with court-imposed orders,” she said.

The matter was adjourned until September 20.