A woman who took part in the assault of a man and left him unconscious in bushland has avoided a jail term.
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Toni Cunningham, 35, was sentenced via video link at the County Court of Victoria on Tuesday for false imprisonment and intentionally causing injury.
The court heard the victim of the assault was convicted of sexually abusing a child.
On August 20, 2018, the day of the assault, a family member witnessed the man in the process of abusing the child.
Judge Michael Bourke said Cunningham, who was a friend of the child's parents, and others decided to seek out the man and assault him, after discovering the abuse.
The man was slapped, punched, put into a car, questioned about his offending and prevented from leaving the car.
He was driven to a bushland area in Magpie where the assaults continued and he was punched, head butted, stomped on and kicked.
The court heard Cunningham did not leave the car at any stage during the assault - her criminal responsibility is she intentionally assisted in the commission of false imprisonment, knowing injury would occur.
The man was left unconscious at the bushland location and was later found calling for help by residents.
He suffered brain haemorrhage, a fractured hand and nose and multiple bruises to the head and face.
The court heard Cunningham confessed her role in the offending to police a day later and led police, with co-offenders, to the location where the victim was taken.
Judge Bourke sentenced Cunningham to a two-and-a-half year community corrections order with requirements she complete 300 hours unpaid community work, undergo mental health treatment and participate in rehabilitation programs.
"This was serious offending. A man was taken, badly intimidated and assault and left significantly injured and unconscious in a remote place. The whole period of this ran up to two hours," he said.
"You received the benefit of an early plea of guilty and your high level of cooperation with the investigation and proceedings."
Judge Bourke said Cunningham had no criminal history, had an intellectual disability, was partially blind and deaf and was a low risk of re-offending.
"The usual sentence in the circumstances of this offending would be one of custody. On March 6, I sentenced your co-offender aged 19 to youth justice detention," he said.
"However in your case there are mitigating factors, your plea guilty and cooperation, personal history and circumstances, your physical and intellectual disability.
"You did not take part in any physical act against the man and there is some evidence of your disquiet. I see your moral culpability as moderated, you are a lesser vehicle for the purpose of denunciation."
The third co-accused in the offending is yet to be sentenced.
Judge Bourke indicated he would have sentenced Cunningham to six months imprisonment with a community corrections order had she not pleaded guilty.
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