Darroch Robinson has entered a plea of not guilty to a charge of causing serious harm in the Northern Territory Supreme Court. This follows an incident at Darwin Middle School, where a female student reportedly had her front teeth broken.

The prosecution claims that the former educator intentionally struck the student in the face, leading to her falling to the floor. In contrast, the defense contends that the incident was an unfortunate accident occurring in a bustling classroom environment.

The trial resumed in Darwin on Tuesday, with further testimonies expected. The incident in question took place while Robinson was teaching at Darwin Middle School in 2024, when he allegedly struck the student after she requested the return of her confiscated mobile phone and called him “dumb.”

During the trial’s opening statement, Crown prosecutor Brandon Bodel described the strike as a deliberate action executed in anger during a dispute over the confiscated device. He noted that the student, who was described as “physically small,” had been using her phone during class before it was taken by Robinson.

According to Bodel, the student left the classroom and was seen roaming the school grounds with a friend before being sent home by the principal. Upon returning to retrieve her phone, she confronted Robinson, who had refused to give it back, prompting her to ask, “Are you dumb?”

The prosecutor informed the jury that the student would testify that Robinson “swung his forearm or elbow at her, hitting her mouth,” resulting in her being knocked against a table and then onto the ground, which caused her front teeth to fracture.

Bodel stated that after sustaining the injury, the student expressed to Robinson, “you’ve ruined my life,” to which he allegedly replied, “I don’t care.” The court heard that the girl would testify that her teeth were damaged directly from the blow rather than from hitting the table.

Bodel maintained that the injury was a direct consequence of Robinson’s deliberate action. He also indicated that two other students who witnessed the incident would corroborate that Robinson struck the girl during their argument. One of the witnesses would recount that Robinson turned around quickly and hit her, although he did not see her head collide with the table.

In defense, attorney Peter Maley argued that Robinson did not intend to harm the student, framing the incident as an accident in a chaotic classroom setting. Maley explained that Robinson was managing several misbehaving students when the girl, positioned behind him, made insulting remarks.

He stated, “He turns around quickly and inadvertently impacts his elbow or forearm with the child,” leading to the girl stumbling, hitting the desk, and ultimately falling to the ground, resulting in her chipped teeth. Maley emphasized that the prosecution must establish beyond a reasonable doubt that Robinson intended to both strike the student and cause harm.

He concluded by asserting, “Accidents happen; sometimes things occur without anyone being at fault. He didn’t intend it, he didn’t mean it, and he is sorry.” The trial continues in Darwin on Tuesday.