Girl pleads guilty to assaulting fellow student

A Vincent Massey High School student who admitted to attacking another girl in the hallway says she is taking responsibility for her wrongdoing.

The 15-year-old girl, who can’t be named under the Youth Criminal Justice Act, pleaded guilty to assault in Brandon provincial court on Tuesday.

“I do feel terrible about what I did. I should not have done it. She’s a good person and she never deserved that,” the teen said.

Brandon police were called to the school around 2:30 p.m. on Feb. 9 for a report of a student who had attacked another 15-year-old student.

The accused came up behind the girl near her locker, pulled her hair and punched her in the head, according to an agreed statement of facts. The victim had no physical injuries.

“It was on video surveillance with other students around, and was done in front of the principal, who had luckily been there to break it up quickly,” said Georgia Steeves, an articling student with the Crown attorney office.

She said police had been notified earlier that day that the accused was threatening to assault the teen.

“Vincent Massey administrative staff had spoken to her about not putting her hands on anyone else, and they advised police that she seemed to have calmed down,” Steeves said.

On Feb. 17, police received an email from the victim’s mother, detailing how the accused appeared to be organizing a group of people to try to jump the teen outside of school.

The girl gave a statement to police that same day, disclosing how she and the accused had multiple verbal arguments online and at school leading up to the assault. She also told police the accused had thrown water in her face, Steeves said.

Police arrested the teen, who had no criminal record prior to the incident.

The Crown suggested the accused receive a sentence of 12 months of supervised probation with conditions to keep the peace and have good behaviour, attend counselling or programming for anger management and complete 15 hours of community service within six months.

Steeves also proposed the girl be prohibited from communicating with the victim except for incidental contact at school.

“Ultimately, this was a strong case being captured on video, and a concerning one that occurred in a school where students should feel safe and not have to worry they may be assaulted when they attend,” Steeves said.

Before defence lawyer Philip Sieklicki detailed his submissions, he handed the judge a letter from the girl’s grandparents, describing her abandonment issues and the challenges she faces living in a group home.

Sieklicki said both girls used to be best friends and would regularly hang out and have sleepovers together.

“Unfortunately, there was a falling out between the two girls, and there was a series of arguments which had taken place between them,” he said.

In one argument, the victim allegedly told the accused, “Why don’t you go and complain to your parents … Oh wait, you have none,” the lawyer said. It was during this fight that the accused splashed water in the victim’s face.

The accused received a 20-day school suspension after the Feb. 9 assault and a plan was put in place for her to stay away from the teen at school.

Since the incident, the girl has completed Grade 10 and has gone to counselling, Sieklicki said. He said she’s expressed interest in pursuing a career in nursing and volunteers with a local non-profit, helping people experiencing homelessness and food insecurity.

“Teenagers’ relationships can be very difficult, in particular as it relates to school. Hormones often play a part when we consider young people, and emotional regulation and control is something which you develop with time,” Sieklicki said.

The defence asked the judge to consider an absolute discharge, or alternatively, a conditional discharge to follow probation orders for three to six months.

Judge Patrick Sullivan gave the accused a 12-month conditional discharge, requiring her to keep the peace, have good behaviour and be prohibited from communicating with the victim except for incidental contact at school.

“I think this experience will be one that I hope will stick with you … not necessarily in a negative way, but in a way that’ll give you pause next time you’re feeling frustrated, because I’m sure this is not something you want to repeat,” he said.

Sullivan said he hopes the two girls can reconcile at a future date.

» tadamski@brandonsun.com