A child care worker has been found guilty of five counts of aggravated assault after parents became alarmed when children she cared for began coming home with horrific scratches on their faces.
Kerri Louise Wharf, 27, has pleaded not guilty to 32 charges of assaulting children in her care in 2020 at GoodStart Early Learning in the north-east Perth suburb of Banksia Grove.
During his lengthy trial in Perth Magistrates Court, several families complained that their children, all under five, had come home with severe scratches. PerthNow reported.
One father told Nine News Perth his son still had a scratch mark from his temple to his chin weeks after the incident.
Parents said they still felt shocked and sickened by it, but other GoodStart staff members had tried to make amends.
“The staff at GoodStart have gone above and beyond… they were proactive and made sure to support my son,” the father said.
Police initially suspected another child may have carried out the attacks, but then focused on Wharf.
During his lengthy trial, more More than 50 witnesses testified, including children, and 270 pieces of evidence were presented.
Childcare worker Kerri Louise Wharf, 27, has been found guilty of committing five counts of aggravated assault against the children she was caring for.
Prosecutor Laura Campbell had told the court that Wharf had “a tendency to engage in behaviour that would scratch children in the face”, according to The alphabeth.
Ms Campbell said Wharf was “always present or near the child” who suffered the injuries.
Wharf told police during an interview that the scratches were caused by other children or play equipment.
Ms Campbell dismissed this explanation as implausible and unreasonable.
Wharf’s lawyer, Kathryn Heslop, said her client was made a scapegoat during a “flawed investigation” by the child care center.
Ms Heslop said no one witnessed Wharf scratching any children, but claimed she had been targeted as frustration grew among parents and staff, and the centre’s manager needed someone to blame.
Magistrate Matthew Walton said: The prosecution of the case was “at times regrettable” and only five of the 32 charges were proven.
Wharf has been released on bail and faces sentencing in November, with a report on her psychological state to be prepared and submitted to the court before then.
Wharf worked at GoodStart Early Learning in the north-east Perth suburb of Banksia Grove.
He said the complexities of the trial affected the handling of the case.
Wharf has been released on bail but faces sentencing in November.
Before that, a report on his psychological state will be prepared and submitted to the court.
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