A judge in Prince George Provincial Court sentenced a young offender on July 16 to a one-year conditional discharge after pleading guilty to assault causing bodily harm in a 2023 attack on another girl.
Neither the guilty girl nor victim can be identified under the Youth Criminal Justice Act. The guilty girl will have no criminal record if she successfully completes probation.
Judge Cassandra Malfair said she admitted to luring the 12-year-old victim to Lorne Park on Sept. 24, 2023 and participating in a swarming. Court heard that the victim was pulled to the ground by her hair and repeatedly kicked while another girl recorded a video of the attack for posting on a social media site.
“As if the assault were not bad enough,” Malfair said. “Which would be incredibly re-victimizing for the victim.”
The victim suffered bruising, scratching, a bloodied nose and injuries to her teeth. She was also diagnosed with a concussion.
“While she was incapacitated, one of the youth stole her AirPods [earphones] and $15,” Malfair said.
The victim reported the incident to the Prince George RCMP on the same evening. She told police that a girl had spread rumours that she had sex with a boy from school. That girl approached her at Pine Centre Mall in the afternoon of Sept. 24, 2023, told her their disagreement was “water under the bridge,” and invited her to hang out.
The victim told police she felt pressured, but went anyway to the park where another two girls arrived. Drinking took place before she was suddenly surrounded by four girls and attacked.
Crown and defence lawyers jointly proposed the conditional discharge for the girl, who had no criminal record and pleaded guilty.
A pre-sentencing report analyzing the impacts of the guilty girl’s Indigenous heritage said she had some family dysfunction and exposure to sexual abuse and substance abuse. Malfair called it “somewhat concerning” that she did not initially seem troubled by the offence she committed.
Malfair ordered her to have no communication or contact with the victim, except as permitted by the youth worker for the purpose of a restorative justice program and apology to the victim. Malfair said the victim and her family asked for the restorative justice program.
“You’re very fortunate your victim is so understanding,” Malfair told her.
