Vicious assault on girl

Victim knew attackers

A TEENAGE girl has been viciously attacked twice at Helensvale and police are hunting the school-aged perpetrators.

Coombabah High School student Jasmine Peck-Safic, 16, suffered concussion, a suspected broken nose, a split lip and cuts and bruises in the unprovoked attack when she was repeatedly punched in the side of the head and the face by teen girls known to her.

The bashing happened in a Westfield Helensvale bathroom about 2pm on Monday, and was followed by a second assault at the Helensvale train station about 3.15pm, with the same perpetrators involved.

Jasmine’s mother Duma Safic and stepfather Justin Reeves said Jasmine had suffered anxiety and panic attacks since the incident and was unable to return to school.

“Jasmine was approached by the girls, who were drunk and had alcohol bottles with them, and was lured into the bathroom where she was attacked,” said Ms Safic.

“Out of nowhere one of the girls grabbed her and punched her in the side of the head.”

A dazed Jasmine reported the assault to the service desk and centre security intervened, moving the group on.

The teenager was then waiting at the bus stop at the Helensvale train station to go home when the group “jumped her” a second time, allegedly punching her in the nose, “throwing a bottle of alcohol” at her and stealing her ATM card. Security at the train station intervened but police were not called to the scene.

“I am in fear now. This is her only route to school. What are we supposed to do?” Ms Safic said.

“We are not the only ones who have had something like this happen recently. These girls are known for this sort of behaviour and the next victim might not be so lucky.”

The family said they wanted station security ramped up and a change in policy at the shopping centre to enforce bans on anti-social people.

A police spokeswoman said police later received a report of incidents but were not called to the scene. She said police were investigating.

She said police were aware of the identities of the attackers, who were aged 15, 16 and 18. No charges have been laid.

A spokeswoman for ScentreGroup, the retail corporation that runs Westfield Helensvale, said they could not comment as the matter was in the hands of police.

The Bulletin has reported a number of teenage gang attacks on the heavy rail line this year. One included a 17-yearold girl being beaten so severely near Helensvale train station in April that doctors thought she had a broken neck. Her assault was filmed and posted to social media.

In January, a mum could do nothing but listen to her daughter’s screams on the phone as she was attacked and robbed outside a Coomera shopping centre. The 15-yearold and two friends had planned to shop at their regular centre in Robina, but changed their mind and caught a train to Coomera, where they were assaulted by a group of teens.