Kmart worker attacked: Moment employee was struck in the face by a young mum, forcing a law change to protect retail workers

The shocking moment a brutal young mum smashed an elderly shop assistant in the face and sent her flying has sparked a change in the law to protect store workers.

Christine Smith, 69, was checking receipts at Campbelltown Kmart in Sydney’s south-west when she approached one shopper with an overflowing trolley full of goods as she was leaving the store.

But when she placed a hand on the shopper’s trolley, the woman, then 26, lashed out without warning and struck Ms Smith in the face before fleeing the shop.

Ms Smith was sent spinning by the blow which left her bleeding and bruised with two black eyes, writhing in agony on the ground.

She needed four months of intensive physio and psychological therapy to recover before she could work again.

‘It was like boxing – she just went bang,’ said Ms Smith afterwards.

Now the NSW government has brought in new tougher laws to protect shop staff amid warnings of more similar incidents in the lead up to Christmas.

The shocking moment a brutal young mum smashed an elderly shop assistant in the face and sent her flying has sparked a change in the law to protect store workers

Christine Smith, 69, was sent spinning by the blow which left her bleeding and bruised with two black eyes, writhing in agony on the ground

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There is now a specific offence of violence against retail workers, with a maximum jail sentence for assault without actual bodily harm doubling to four years.

Anyone convicted of wounding or causing grievous bodily harm now faces up to 11 years in jail, increased from 10. 

The savage attacker was eventually tracked down by police in 2019 and convicted, but her nine-month suspended sentence was later reduced on appeal. 

Ms Smith – who has still works at the same Kmart store after 30 years there – says the light sentence imposed on her attacker was the biggest blow.

‘That was the heartbreaking part,’ she told the Daily Telegraph. ‘I’m a tough old bird. But if that happened to a 15-year-old, it could harm them for life.’

Authorities have warned of an increased chance of assaults on shop workers this Christmas as shops face staff shortages and stressed customers struggle with cost- of-living pressures.

Work Health and Safety minister Sophie Cotsis told NSW Parliament the new laws were ‘all about protecting workers like Christine’.

The savage attacker, then 26, was eventually tracked down by police in 2019 and convicted, but her nine-month suspended sentence was later reduced on appeal

In the wake of the new laws being passed in June, the Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees Association has joined retailers and shopping malls to launch an ad campaign raise awareness and stamp out the attacks on store staff.

SDA NSW secretary Bernie Smith added: ‘It really important the stories like Christine’s are told.

‘We’d be the happiest people in the world if no one was charged under the new laws because the behaviour changed.’