Five schoolgirls in viral beating video appear in court for assault

Five girls, who allegedly assaulted a 15-year-old Holy Faith Convent student, appeared virtually in the Couva Magistrates’ Court yesterday.

It was their first court appearance since they were charged in June.

The teen girls, who attend three different secondary schools, had each received a summons to appear in court yesterday, charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

When the matter was called before Magistrate Alexander Prince, he transferred the case to the Children’s Court.

They were represented by attorneys Darril Giles and Shalini Dhaniperad, who held for attorney Taradath Singh.

The Children’s Court would have to schedule a date for their appearance.

The five were charged after a 15-year-old Holy Faith Convent student was beaten on June 10.

Several videos, which went viral on social media after being recorded on students’ cellphones, showed the victim being dragged, kicked, and beaten in front of her school in Couva by a group of young girls who were not in school uniform and barefoot. The victim had to seek medical treatment after sustaining injuries.

The incident grabbed the attention of Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, who vowed to purge schools of violence as she repeated her warning that there will be serious consequences for criminal behaviour.

After it was announced that charges were laid in connection with the incident, the Prime Minister said she would prioritise the rights and protection of the majority of students who want to learn and not the minority who want to disrupt their schools with violence.

“I remind students and parents that anyone who engages in violence, threats, intimidation, drug dealing, extortion and bullying will be charged. We will purge our schools of this behaviour by any and all means legally available. The country is fed up of this violence and wickedness in our schools and our society,” said the Prime Minister in June.