Girl accused of assaulting teen in football match, leaving her part blind and with spinal injuries

A teenage girl is accused of inflicting spinal injuries on a sporting opponent and leaving her partially blind after viciously assaulting her during a suburban football match.

The incident broke out towards the end of the AFL game at Heathridge Park, in Perth’s North on Friday June 8, after the 13-year-old allegedly entered into a sledging exchange with her older victim.

The accused initially expressed frustration with an umpire’s decision, the Joondalup Children’s Court heard on Tuesday, to which her opponent replied ‘You’re a bit cheeky, aren’t you?’

A teenage girl is accused of inflicting spinal injuries on a sporting opponent and leaving her partially blind after viciously assaulting her during a suburban football match

The two girls entered into a sledging exchange, the Joondalup Children's Court heard, which allegedly escalated into the accused pushing her victim to the ground and punching her repeatedly in the face

The two girls entered into a sledging exchange, the Joondalup Children’s Court heard, which allegedly escalated into the accused pushing her victim to the ground and punching her repeatedly in the face

When the accused then challenged the girl to fight, the victim allegedly said ‘What are you going to do, look at the size of you’, ABC News reports.

The court heard that the 13-year-old grabbed her victim by the ponytail and pushed her to the ground before proceeding to ‘mount’ her and punch her in the face five to ten times.

Teammates were forced to intervene and pull the accused off her opponent, whom was ultimately hospitalised with injuries to her face and spine.

The victim has since been left with ‘partial and potentially permanent blindness in her left eye’, the police prosecutor said, as well as spinal injuries that have forced her to wear a neck brace for eight weeks and may require spinal surgery.

The incident broke out towards the end of the AFL game at Heathridge Park (pictured), in Perth's North on Friday June 8

The incident broke out towards the end of the AFL game at Heathridge Park (pictured), in Perth’s North on Friday June 8

The accused was initially handed a two-month ban from the game by the Western Australian Football Commission, with the Joondalup Children’s Court further imposing a block from playing and attending matches throughout August.

Her lawyer argued for a variation on the bail conditions on Tuesday, but the police prosecutor argued that they were put in place to protect other children in the sport.

Magistrate Stephen Vose also noted that the WA Football Commission suspension was a separate matter to the court process.

The accused was initially handed a two-month ban from the game by the WA Football Commission, with the Joondalup Children's Court further imposing a block from playing and attending matches throughout August

The accused was initially handed a two-month ban from the game by the WA Football Commission, with the Joondalup Children’s Court further imposing a block from playing and attending matches throughout August

‘It seems to me it’s something that’s going to require a significant penalty and significant counselling,’ Mr Vose said.

‘I would have thought it would be appropriate to say: “no more football”.’

The 13-year-old is due to reappear in court on September 18.

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