Immaturity, peer pressure and the fear of being called a "chicken" sparked a violent fight between teenage girls in Sydney's northern beaches, a court has been told.
But a 14-year-old girl facing charges of affray and offensive behaviour over the fight has already been "carrying on like a Kilkenny cat", a magistrate says.
The girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, appeared in Sydney's Bidura Children's Court on Thursday sporting a black eye.
She was arrested, charged and refused bail on Wednesday afternoon after police were called to a fight at Mona Vale Village Park.
An estimated 40 teenagers from nearby schools watched three girls battle in the allegedly pre-arranged fight, police say.
Officers found a 15-year-old North Narrabeen girl suffering facial injuries at the scene.
The court was told of a "non-association order" in place between the accused and the 15-year-old girl, who was issued a caution for her involvement in the fight.
The accused did not realise the other girl would be at the park, her solicitor Mandy Safi told the court.
"From talking with her mother it seems her involvement in these incidents are almost certainly a result of her immaturity ... it seems as though there is a great deal peer pressure ... being in fear of being called a chicken," Ms Safi said.
The girl, from Elanora Heights, was already facing charges of assault with intent to rob and assault occasioning actual bodily harm relating to an incident at Mona Vale on April 11.
She is not attending school, but wants to return to study, the court was told.
"She really needed to be woken up by these court proceedings to realise that this sort of behaviour cannot continue," Ms Safi said.
However, after citing an apprehended violence order involving the girl and her father, Magistrate Joan Bapti refused bail, requesting the girl be assessed by a health professional.
"I have no doubt that both mum and dad are very supportive of the young person (but) on the other side of the equation, these are allegations of significant violence and there are real concerns in the court's mind of granting this young person bail," Ms Bapti said.
The girl's mother cried quietly as she sat in court just out of reach of her daughter.
Ms Bapti said of the girl, "She has allegedly been carrying on like a Kilkenny cat, and if that's the case, there are anger management issues and I have got real concerns that she's not going to comply with any court directions."
The matter was adjourned until Monday, June 1.
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