A former educator from Darwin, Darroch Robinson, aged 56, has taken the stand in his own defense at the Northern Territory Supreme Court, facing charges of unlawfully causing serious harm to a female student. This incident, which allegedly occurred in 2024 at Darwin Middle School, resulted in the student suffering broken front teeth after Robinson reportedly struck her in the face following a confrontation over a confiscated phone.
Robinson has pleaded not guilty to the charges. Closing arguments from both the prosecution and defense have been presented, with the jury anticipated to start their deliberations on Wednesday.
During his testimony, Robinson acknowledged feeling “angry” and “frustrated” with the student, whom he described as “an exceptionally rude child.” This confrontation stemmed from Robinson confiscating the student’s phone, after which she returned and allegedly verbally abused him when he refused to return it.
Robinson, a former member of the defense forces who served in Afghanistan, expressed his deep distress over the incident, stating he was “utterly horrified” that the girl’s teeth were damaged. He recounted that the student had been disruptive during an exam and was considered a student of “concern” who did not adhere to classroom rules.
Robinson recounted how he had intended to take the phone to the office and turned around quickly, unaware of the student’s proximity. He explained, “I heard her call me a stupid, fat c*** and I spun around,” asserting that certain types of verbal abuse were unacceptable, especially in front of a class.
He described the contact that occurred as his forearm making contact with the student’s head, which caused her to stumble and fall onto a desk. Robinson remarked, “Going by the physics, I would say it was a fairly hard strike.”
When questioned by his defense attorney, Peter Maley, Robinson stated he was unaware of the student’s position behind him at that moment, insisting the strike was unintentional. He also admitted to responding callously to the student’s claim that he had ruined her life, attributing his reaction to his frustration and suggesting that the student was “performing for effect” in front of her classmates.
After witnessing the girl’s injury, Robinson described entering a state of shock. “I was utterly horrified by what had happened and I couldn’t move,” he testified.
During cross-examination, Crown prosecutor Sophia Bicknell challenged Robinson’s account, questioning the plausibility of the incident occurring as he described. She pointed out that the broken tooth was found away from the door, implying the incident occurred further into the room. Bicknell suggested that Robinson, trained in physical discipline from his military background, had acted out of anger rather than as an accident.
Robinson refuted the allegations of lying but eventually acknowledged that he had felt “angry” during the incident. Earlier testimonies from a neighboring teacher, Nickolaos Miaris, indicated that he had heard yelling and swearing, and upon checking, he observed the student visibly upset and with a “bloodied lip.” Miaris recalled Robinson indicating he would report the incident.
Following the incident, it was noted that the student has required extensive dental treatment, with ongoing mental health challenges stemming from the event. In her closing remarks, Bicknell argued that Robinson’s account had inconsistencies and suggested the force used was deliberate, highlighting that the evidence pointed to him acting out of anger and frustration.
In contrast, Maley urged the jury to consider Robinson’s character and military background, asserting that the prosecution must demonstrate that the contact was intentional rather than accidental, characterizing the event as an unfortunate mishap.
Chief Justice Michael Grant summarized the case, clarifying that the primary question for the jury was whether Robinson intended to strike the student or if the contact could have been accidental. The jury is expected to commence their deliberations soon.
