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Varnika Singh thought joggers were behind her when she heard footsteps as she walked along a path at the University of Wollongong campus on a Saturday night in March this year. The international student stepped to the side to let them pass, but instead two young women blocked her in on both sides and one pulled a knife. "She held the knife at my neck, she had a hoodie on her face — her voice was pretty muffled when she said she wanted my cash and phone," Ms Singh said. The offenders, who cannot be identified, have pleaded guilty in Port Kembla Children's Court to three counts of assault with intent to rob while armed with a dangerous weapon and one count of stalking and intimidation. The court heard the pair, aged 14 and 15, embarked on a 15-minute crime spree on the Wollongong campus on March 23, threatening three international students with an 8cm blade while demanding their phones and cash. Ms Singh was the third to be attacked and, according to police facts, the 14-year-old offender held a knife to her throat and told her, "Bitch I will kill you with this knife" when she refused to hand over her phone. Ms Singh said she begged the girl not to hurt her. "She agreed not to take my phone, but said, 'Bitch, get down on your knees and kiss my shoe,'" she said. "I did feel humiliated, but I was helpless in the moment." One of the teens filmed the assault on Ms Singh. No-one was physically injured. Police documents tendered in court said there were three attacks on the campus on the night in question.(ABC Illawarra: Tim Fernandez) The pair was apprehended the next day and have now been sentenced in Port Kembla Children's Court. The 15-year-old was given a 12-month probationary sentence and a 12-month good behaviour bond. Magistrate David Williams noted her childhood had been one of "extreme deprivations and abuse". The 14-year-old was sentenced to a 10-month aggregated custodial sentence, but will be eligible for parole by May 26. In a report to the court the 14-year-old said she was high on ice and cannabis during the offending and expressed remorse for the incidents, calling herself a "monster". In his sentencing Magistrate David Williams told the court the girl was "as vulnerable as this court sees". He noted the girls' history of "extreme neglect and violence" and complex mental health diagnoses, including PTSD and psychosis. The court also heard she had been removed form her parents when she was six weeks old. Ms Singh said she found the news of the sentencing "triggering" but hoped the young people were given support. "There's emotional trauma I have gone through," Ms Singh said. "It's been a rollercoaster ride." Nav Mittal says he has been contacted by several students about attacks in Wollongong.(ABC Illawarra: Justin Huntsdale) Asian International Students of Australia vice-president and University of Wollongong mentor Nav Mittal said attacks against international students were increasing. "There has been an acceleration — this has never happened before like this," he said. "They used to harass or abuse, but they never put someone at a knifepoint." Mr Mittal said very few students report attacks to police. "If they report they think nothing will happen," he said. Mr Mittal said police need to engage with the community better. "The main thing I want to know, from the police and from the university — what one should do when this incident happened?" he said. "Should they hand over all the things and walk away, should they [take] the beating, should they fight back or use pepper spray?" NSW Police said in a statement that officers regularly met and liaised with UOW security and held orientation sessions for students twice a year. The statement said police had been proactive in reinforcing personal safety messaging for international students. "Any incident that affects the safety of any of our students is cause for concern," interim deputy vice-chancellor Eileen McLaughlin said in a statement at the time of the attack. "The university has a number of proactive strategies in place to enhance student and staff safety, from security patrols to the UOW SafeZone app, to ensuring our campuses are well-lit at night, and the support and advice is always available to students." Ms Singh said she has struggled with the trauma of the event, which was triggered when she saw the news of the Bondi stabbing murders, as well as the stabbing of a Sydney bishop last month. "I think if we want to increase safety there should be harsher punishment for possession of [knives] and something to make it more difficult to get them in the first place," she said. Get our local newsletter, delivered free each Thursday'Get down on your knees'
'Extreme deprivations'
'Acceleration' of attacks
Call for harsher penalties