A woman has admitted to pushing an elderly man to the ground at a Newcastle bus stop in a violent and random assault that claimed his life.
Kayla Hodge, 25, was agitated and yelling when she got onto a bus at Wallsend just before 1pm on November 10, 2024, and wrote "FU" with a chocolate bar on a sheet of perspex glass.
She did not interact with another bus passenger, an 81-year-old man, but when they both got off a short time later, she dropped what she was carrying and ran at him, screaming, before pushing him to the ground.
The man said "don't please" before hitting his head on the road. He died in hospital two weeks later from complications arising from head injuries.
Hodge appeared by video link from custody when she pleaded guilty in Newcastle Local Court on Wednesday, May 27, to assault causing death.
She will remain behind bars ahead of her first appearance in Newcastle District Court in June, when she will be handed a date for sentencing.
Hodge walked from her place to Wallsend Shopping Village Shopping Centre about 12.30pm on November 10, 2024.
She bought a ream of A4 paper, binder books, a spiral notebook and a KitKat chocolate before walking towards Cowper Street via a BWS liquor store.
Hodge and the elderly man did not know each other. They sat on a bench while waiting for a bus then both got on.
It was only about a minute later that the bus turned onto Newcastle Road and they got off when it stopped.
CCTV captured the moment Hodge turned around and approached the victim, dropping the A4 paper and binder books to the ground, before assaulting him with her hands.
Prosecutors had previously alleged she hit him with the paper.
She said nothing as he fell down and then walked away.
Witnesses rushed to help and found the man bleeding from his nose, mouth and head. He was unconscious for at least two minutes.
Emergency services were alerted and the man got up, but appeared disoriented and unsteady. Police and paramedics treated the man and noticed a pool of blood on the road. The man had cuts to his elbows, forehead and leg.
He was taken to John Hunter Hospital where a scan revealed he had suffered injuries to his brain and facial bones.
The man's condition did not improve and he died on November 24, 2024.
Hodge was arrested just before 2pm the day after the assault.
She told police she had "cracked the shits" and "just kind of snapped" and made unfounded allegations about the man. It was accepted the attack was unprovoked and Hodge was suffering delusions at the time.
