A STUDENT was hospitalised following a violent assault stemming from a look that lasted too long, a court has heard.
In a six-week period late last year, Emily Louise Beaston, 19, committed a string of offences around Ballarat, including stealing a wheel and rims from a parked car which she unsuccessfully tried to put on her own vehicle.
She later told police she took the wheel because she’d damaged one of her own while doing burn outs.
The Ballarat woman fronted Ballarat Magistrates Court yesterday, where she pleaded guilty to 11 charges, including recklessly causing injury, theft and a string of driving offences.
Police prosecutor Leading Senior Constable Pepe Brown said that on the afternoon of November 22, a year 12 student was assaulted while sitting in Camp Street with a friend.
The court heard that Beaston and two others had walked past the victim and her friend, before walking back and accusing her of staring at them.
The victim was grabbed by her hair and punched in the face.
Defence lawyer Jeremy Harper admitted his client had little excuse for the assault.
“She was in a bad mood, she was angry and she reacted,” he said.
Magistrate Kay Robertson adjourned sentencing until September, making note of Beaston’s recent good behaviour.
“It seems the five months so far (without committing an offence) is the longest she’s stayed out of trouble since she could walk,” Ms Robertson said.
“For the first time it seems you’ve got an idea of what you need to do to live in the community.”
