Wodonga woman's actions at Lavington Square 'quite an ugly offence'

Stephanie Kidd's actions were, magistrate Richard Funston said, "quite an ugly offence".

"I don't see it as a minor offence," he said, as had been submitted by defence lawyer Mitchell Irwin.

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Police prosecutor Sergeant Nicole Peacock said Kidd "would have been aware of what was going on" when the Best and Less store manager at Lavington Square pulled her sister aside for a bag check.

Sergeant Peacock said Kidd, who pleaded guilty to assault, had made a "deliberate attempt" to prevent evidence being collected to support a shoplifting prosecution.

The incident happened almost four years ago, with delays in the case coming to court partly because, at times, Kidd took active steps to avoid police.

Mr Irwin said Kidd knew she was being followed "and wasn't happy about it".

"Eventually Miss Kidd swiped out at her. She understands the victim was doing her job."

The court was told that Kidd, now 29, was shopping with her sister on May 15, 2017. Kidd left the store, then returned to see her sister being asked to show the contents of her bag

They wouldn't allow the bag search and walked out.

The store manager followed them to an upper level car park to take down their car's registration details to provide to police.

"I'm recording this," she told Kidd, who began swearing as she tried to grab the phone out of the woman's hands.

Kidd was put on an 18-month community corrections order, but Mr Funston did not convict her over the assault.

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