Vic: Mother pleads guilty to attack on teen

AAP General News (Australia)
08-12-2009
Vic: Mother pleads guilty to attack on teen

By Daniel Fogarty

MELBOURNE, Aug 12 AAP - A mother who shouted at her daughter to hit and kick a disabled
teenage girl and then posted footage of the attack on MySpace has pleaded guilty.

The woman admitted to her role in the 30-minute attack in Melbourne in January that
left the girl with 38 bruises, including a closed eye and scratches to her face and body.

On Wednesday, the mother, from St Albans, who cannot be identified for legal reasons,
pleaded guilty in the Sunshine Magistrates Court to affray and recklessly causing serious
injury to the 16-year-old victim, who is developmentally delayed.

The girl was unable to stand up by herself after the attack and had to be treated in
the Royal Children's Hospital.

Police alleged at an earlier hearing that her wallet and mobile phone were also taken
during the assault.

Constable Kevin Squires said at that hearing a group of teenagers devised a plan to
get the girl to a house saying they would be her friend if she came.

The court heard the group then took the girl to a nearby park and two of the teenagers
began attacking her.

Const Squires said the mother laughed and encouraged the attack, telling her daughter
things like: "Hit her, hit her harder," "I taught you better than that" and "hit her like
your dad would".

He said the mother also gave the daughter tips on how to kick the girl harder and laughed.

The mother was bailed to appear in the Victorian County Court on December 1 for a pre-sentence
hearing.

AAP df/pmu/apm

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