The 18-year-old was celebrating the end of her high school studies in Victor Harbor, south of Adelaide, when she was set upon by Filip Manevski-Radin at a dance party.

“He came for me and looked me straight in the eyes. And he punched me, like, square in the face,” Ms Powell told Nine News.

She was dancing with her boyfriend when Manevski-Radin and another male approached the couple without any warning and struck her.

The sickening act was caught on camera and shows a close-fisted Manevski-Radin whack Ms Powell in the face before being pulled back by other partygoers.

“I just fell to the ground on my side, screaming, holding my lip. It was bleeding. And then everyone was around me,” Ms Powell said.

The victim was relieved when Manevski-Radin pleaded guilty to the assault. But that relief turned to distress when the judge ruled he would only have to pay a $600 fine and avoid a criminal conviction.

“$600? I’m sorry you get a speeding fine more than that,” said Ms Powell’s mum Gina, who as she supports her daughter in the interview.

“I’ll probably pay that in physio and psychologists,” Ms Powell said. “It’s like, he’s barely going to suffer for this.”

During proceedings the magistrate heard positive character references for Manevski-Radin who was described as “a decent sort of person”.

Despite requests by Ms Powell and her mother to have the matter looked at again, South Australia Police will not be taking further action.