School psychologist charged with assaulting autistic

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A school psychologist accused of assaulting an autistic boy at a prestigious Perth school allegedly told other staff "he picked the wrong woman to mess with".

Dr Agni Angelkovska, 50, is on trial in Perth Magistrates Court, accused of slapping the 12-year-old boy in the face with his own hand and throwing a cup of water at him at Christ Church Grammar School in November 2014.

Today education assistant Sally Nelson testified the boy was having a meltdown when four staff members carried him to another room to get him to calm down.

Ms Nelson said she left for half an hour and when she returned she could hear "slapping sounds" coming from the sensory room and Dr Angelkovska saying, "do you like that?".

She said she also saw Dr Angelkovska throw a cup of water at the boy, who looked "pretty shaken and pretty shocked".

Ms Nelson added that Dr Angelkovska seemed "out of control".

Ms Nelson told the court she found Dr Angelkovska's necklace in the sensory room.

Ms Nelson said when she asked if she had got it back, Dr Angelkovska replied: "Yes, the bastard was going to strangle me with it."

Dr Angelkovska has pleaded not guilty to two counts of common assault, claiming the boy was struck by his own hand during a struggle. She also denies throwing the water.

Michelle Bishop from The Association Independent Schools WA testified the psychologist told her she was trying to teach him consequences, "that if you smack someone, they can smack you back".

Hard way to learn that lesson. The child may never get over it. I get that people lose their temper with a child who can be violent, but it’s hard to give an adult a pass.