Teenage girl accused of aggravated robbery at Geraldton Christian festival remanded while CCTV is disclosed

A teenage girl accused of being part of a group that mobbed a woman for her handbag will remain inside Banskia Hill juvenile detention centre while her defence obtains CCTV footage. Geraldton detectives continue to investigate the robbery in front of more than 100 people that left a woman in her 30s fearing for her life, while an accused 17-year-old was kept behind bars this week. On Saturday, the woman was sitting at a beach near Stow Gardens, close by to the One Vision Christian event. Police allege a group of youths approached her, pulled her to the ground and assaulted her. Her necklace and lanyard with keys to her car and business were allegedly stolen. The 17-year-old girl appeared in Geraldton Children’s Court from Banksia Hill on Tuesday after she was remanded in custody on Sunday. She is charged with aggravated robbery and damaging property, which is over an unrelated matter, and is yet to enter pleas. Police prosecutor Sgt Paul White sought to have CCTV of the alleged incident played in the courtroom, but defence counsel Lauren Roycroft said she wanted to review it first because of its “nature”. “I’ve received a description of the footage and would like to review it,” she said. Ms Roycroft said she was waiting for disclosure before proceeding with a bail application. The matter was adjourned until Tuesday, February 20 when the footage will be disclosed to defence and prosecution will seek to play the video in court. Bail was not considered. Outside of court, the event’s organiser who is a registered nurse and did not want to be named, said the woman was fortunate someone was nearby to help. “I did all my assessment, physical and neurological assessment, I did all I could do at that time,” she said. “She had the best care that she could possibly get on that day.” There was a first aid desk at the event, as well as a qualified counsellor, to assist the alleged victim, the event organiser said. The alleged victim told the Geraldton Guardian the incident happened so suddenly. “Two minutes ago I was speaking to my friends and another two minutes this happened to me,” she said. “I was so shocked.” The woman said she was yelling into her phone “hey Siri, hey Siri, call emergency contact” during the alleged assault. “Without my phone I would be dead right now,” she said. The woman said she was speaking out “not just for me, it’s for everyone else in the future”. Police are still investigating, with no other charges laid as yet.