Geraldton girl who carried out ‘cowardly’ bullying attack against younger girl on bus given supervision order

A 14-year-old girl who was part of a “horrendous” bullying attack against an 11-year-old girl on a bus has avoided detention and been handed an intensive youth supervision order instead.

The 14-year-old and another teenager attacked the younger girl on a TransGeraldton bus in Rangeway on December 15.

The pair ganged up on the victim, gabbing her by her hair and pulling her to the ground.

Once she was down on the ground, the two repeatedly punched and kicked the younger girl.

The assault was filmed and posted to social media, which Magistrate Angus Hockton said showed the attack was planned and pre-meditated to humiliate the girl.

The 14-year-old girl was on a court order at the time of the offence.

In a previous appearance from custody on February 28 in Geraldton Children’s Court, Mr Hockton described the incident, which was also caught on CCTV, as a “cowardly” and “horrendous” attack which she should be ashamed of.

In that appearance, the magistrate told the girl she needed to take the opportunity to show she could behave in the community and granted her bail.

In court for sentencing on Tuesday, the girl’s lawyer said she had been making an effort to attend school and counselling since being released on bail.

Mr Hockton acknowledged this but also reiterated the assault was a serious offence.

He said the community was becoming frustrated and concerned with assaults of this nature and there was an “ongoing fear” within the community.

“I’ve seen the CCTV of this incident and this was a really unpleasant incident,” he said.

He decided to give the girl a seven-month intensive youth supervision order, which he said was a serious punishment for an assault.