A 52-year-old woman has been charged with assaulting a teenage restaurant worker in Melbourne’s north.
Police allege the woman assaulted 19-year-old Anais Poupon while serving food outside an Essendon La Vallee restaurant last month.
CCTV images posted by La Vallee a few days after the incident on April 25, appeared to show the interaction, where an older woman allegedly hit several plates full of food on the worker’s hands and face, knocking out one of her teeth in the process.
“We are deeply shocked by the (alleged) disgusting behavior of this grown woman,” the restaurant’s management posted on Instagram following the alleged attack. “If you know him please send us a private message … we need help identifying this person.”
Friends of Poupon, a French citizen with a working holiday visa, said he was deeply shaken by the alleged attack.
“Now he’s left with a huge dental bill … and scars he can’t even afford,” Armando Giacon and Erika Doria said in an online fundraiser.
“Now he is hurt and wants to leave the country.”
On Tuesday, police confirmed that a 52-year-old Footscray woman was arrested at Dandenong railway station on Saturday morning.
A police spokeswoman said the woman was charged with recklessly causing injury, and was bailed on Sunday to appear again in Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on August 17.
Start the day with a summary of the day’s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter.
Angus Delaney is a journalist at The Age. Email him at angus.delaney@theage.com.au or contact him securely on Waves at angusdelaney.31Connect through email address.
