Darla Holland never saw her assailant's face when he attacked her.
She was punched from behind by a 14-year-old boy, knocked to the ground and left unconscious.
But when the chance came to look her attacker in the eye, she was ready.
Armed with graphic photographs showing her swollen and bruised eye and grazed jaw, Mrs Holland demanded he look at the damage.
"I stood in front of him and held up the photos and told him to look at what he had done to me," the 61-year-old Whangarei grandmother told The Northern Advocate.
"He looked at it and apologised. I don't know how heartfelt it was, but at least it made him think."
A day after he bashed Mrs Holland the boy also knocked down an 80-year-old woman who had had two hip replacements and used a walking stick. He robbed her of $30.
In the Youth Court at Whangarei this week he was sentenced to three months in a youth justice facility after pleading guilty to two charges of robbery and another of rendering a person unconscious to commit a robbery.
If he behaves the boy could be released after two months, which would be followed by six months supervision.
Before the sentencing, Mrs Holland took part in a family group conference that allowed her to face her attacker and help decide what punishment he should receive.
"I wanted to talk to the little b----r. I was so angry when it happened," she said.
"I wanted to confront him and him to confront me and see what he had done to me."
Mrs Holland was knocked unconscious as she pushed her infant grandson in a stroller.
The attacker made off with $60 cash and credit cards. A passerby helped her to her feet.
During the conference attended by four members of the boy's family, Mrs Holland read a quote she had found on the internet: "Respect for self, respect for others and responsibility for all your actions throughout life."
She gave the youth a copy and told him to read it every day and think about what it meant.
"I wanted him to realise what he had done to me and the other victim and to take responsibility for it.
"I wanted him to sit back and think about where his life was going.
"I'm still angry with him, but I just hope he chooses the right path with all the help he is getting and doesn't offend again."
Mrs Holland said she had had support from Child Youth and Family, which had flown her daughter and grandson from the South Island to the family group conference.
Victim Support and the police had also encouraged her to take part in the court process.
While she regretted the attack had taken place, the family conference process had helped her move on.
Mrs Holland, who had never previously been involved in any court process, urged others to participate in family group conferences.
"You don't get that sort of chance in the adult court system. It makes the offenders face up to the normally faceless victims."
During sentencing, Youth Court Judge Tim Druce said the boy had been involved in very serious offending and the penalty was at the top end of the options available to the court.
"That's because your offending was very serious and highly dangerous to members of the community," the judge told the boy.
Mr Druce said there was a high risk of the boy re-offending, but added: "If things go well the risk will be reduced."
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