Stab victim scarred by trauma

The stab-victim was air lifted to hospital from the site. 140127

By ANEEKA SIMONIS

A 16-YEAR-OLD Pakenham stabbing victim remains traumatised months after the incident while her mother is outraged at the lenient sentence handed down to the accused.
Her attacker, also 16 years of age, was sentenced to 22 months jail last week over the June 2015 knife attack, which saw the Pakenham teen airlifted to hospital with life-threatening injuries.
She was sentenced to imprisonment in the Children’s Court on Tuesday 2 February after pleading guilty to intentionally causing serious injury with gross violence.
The teen attacker was initially charged with attempted murder, but the charge was downgraded.
The stab-victim’s mother disapproved of the sentence, suggesting it was a “slap on the wrist” for the teen who will not live with the mental and physical scars borne by her daughter.
“My daughter could have lost her life. I am not happy with the outcome. It’s not enough,” she told the reporter.
On Friday 5 June, the former Pakenham Secondary College student was stabbed in the neck as she walked along a footpath on Magid Drive near Fountain Gate Shopping Centre.
The stab-victim relived the horror attack during a 7 News interview following her attacker’s sentencing.
“It just came out of nowhere… all I remember is my hair getting grabbed by the back and pulled back,” she said.
“It was terrifying for me, and it still haunts me. I nearly lost my life.”
It was reported the 16-year-old attacker is expected to remain jailed for a further 13 months, having been held behind bars in the months following the attack.