Transgender Assault Victim Says She Wasn't Told About Her Attacker's Sentencing
“I’m absolutely gutted. Devastated.”
A woman who was assaulted in Newtown in June has hit out at police, saying she was not notified about the sentencing hearing of one of her attackers.
Twitter / @tallpunksteph
Stephanie McCarthy, a musician, sustained a fractured eye socket, facial bruising, a busted lip and swelling behind her ear after being attacked by two men at the Newtown Town Hall Hotel in June.
She told police the attack was fuelled by the fact she is transgender.
Alexis Ozanne, who punched McCarthy in the head five times while Nicholas Wells held her in a headlock, was sentenced to 150 hours community service and a good behaviour bond on Tuesday.
McCarthy told BuzzFeed News she was "absolutely gutted" when she heard about Ozanne's sentencing via a stranger on Facebook.
Alexis Ozanne leaves the Newtown Local Court in Sydney on Thursday, July 9, 2015. / Paul Miller / AAPIMAGE
"They just sent a message saying 'I heard the news, I'm really sorry about what happened'," McCarthy said.
"I said, 'What are you talking about?'. They sent me a link to the article and I was absolutely devastated."
McCarthy wanted to attend court in order to deliver a victim impact statement and to "find some closure" on the horrific incident.