Childcare worker laughed as she tied up disabled boy, court hears

A Sydney childcare worker accused of tying up a young disabled boy with duct tape has denied the allegations in court.

A teacher at a Sydney childcare centre allegedly laughed as she bound a disabled child with duct tape, a court has heard.

Jennifer Helen Wood will now face a hearing after she failed in her bid on Wednesday to have charges against her dealt with on mental health grounds.

The Dulwich Hill woman is facing up to two years in jail if convicted after she was charged with two counts of assaulting a school student while attending a school.

She has denied the allegations and has pleaded not guilty.

Police have alleged that on two occasions in 2017 she bound the wrists of a young disabled boy at a Glebe childcare centre where she worked as the head teacher.

She is accused of on one occasion tying up the boy by the hands with duct tape.

“The evidence is Ms Wood thought the whole thing was very funny at the time and was laughing, and when asked by a witness, who was concerned and heard her laughing … she said it was just a joke,” Magistrate Julie Huber said.

Jennifer Wood (centre) has denied allegations that she laughed as she tied up a four-year-old boy with Down syndrome. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Dylan Robinson

On the second occasion, she is alleged to have bound the boy’s hands with shoe laces.

Ms Wood was arrested at her Dulwich Hill home in November last year after police launched an investigation into the allegations

Ms Huber described the allegations as “serious”, noting that Ms Wood was in a position of “power” and “authority” over the boy.

Defence barrister Catherine Newman said that Ms Wood denied the allegations, which she claimed were raised in “suspicious circumstances”.

She attempted to have the matter dealt with under the Mental Health Act with the court hearing that she suffered from depression and anxiety.

But Ms Huber said there was no evidence of a link between her mental health conditions and the alleged offending, and refused Ms Wood’s application.