Wangaratta court told mother punched her own daughter in the face

Police had been called to the woman's Appin Street home in Wangaratta on January 31 amid concerns over the daughter's erratic behaviour.

Her mother opened the front door and her daughter told police she had been yelled at, threatened with a pole, and was fearful of the 36-year-old.

The victim told police her mother had punched her in the face, causing her to fall onto her bed, two days earlier.

Officers saw a minor bruise on her forehead and left arm.

But the 15-year-old was reluctant to have pictures taken of the injuries.

The Wangaratta Magistrate Court heard a statement wasn't taken from the victim, but the disclosures were filmed on police body cameras.

The court heard her mother didn't have any priors on her record.

Magistrate Peter Mithen noted the incident had occurred in January and asked how things were between the pair.

"She's doing a lot better now," the mum replied, but started crying after saying the girl was now living in South Australia.

IN OTHER NEWS

She had denied to police that she had punched the girl or made the threats with the pole.

She admitted to investigators she slapped her during an argument.

The 36-year-old pleaded guilty to a single assault charge.

Mr Mithen told the woman she had crossed a line.

"I understand the pressures of having a teenager," he said.

"It's not easy.

"But there is a limit as parents, and assault is beyond that limit as you are well aware.

"If things blow up again you've just got to be almost unbelievably patient.

"With teenagers it's not easy."

Mr Mithen noted she had no priors.

He said as a result, a good behaviour undertaking was the appropriate sentence in the case.

To read more stories, download The Border Mail news app in the Apple Store or Google Play.

Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content: