Police are investigating an alleged unprovoked assault on a school boy in Cranbourne West on Tuesday 10 March.
A 16-year-old was walking along Tony Way on his way to school with his older brother when he was approached by an unknown male about 8:30am.
According to their mum Jamie, the two brothers were walking along a park area about 150m away from their school when the man approached them.
“The gentleman was approaching them and the boys stepped to the side to let him pass,” Jamie told Star News.
“Then he sort of said to my son, ‘What are you looking at?’, but my son didn’t actually hear him because he had his earphones in his ears.
“And it was my other son, who has autism and was with him, who heard it but didn’t say anything to him.”
The alleged offender walked past them, but six seconds later the man “ran up behind them”, says Jamie.
“He tried to punch him in the back side of the head but got the side of his face, so my son didn’t actually see it happen.”
The punch knocked the teenager to the ground, falling on his face, where he sustained injuries to the left side of his face, a concussion and grazes to his knee.
The family is still awaiting results from a scan taken at the hospital, where he was taken for his injuries.
Following the assault, the man walked away.
Jamie was at work when she received the call regarding the incident from her eldest son, who was “shaken and panicked”, she says.
“He could barely speak, and that was my 17-year-old, so it actually affected him because he’s been very heightened since the event,” she said.
While the brothers have gone back to school since the assault, Jamie says it’s left a mark on them.
Describing her 16-year old as a “shy and reserved boy”.
“He doesn’t get into any drama or anything like that, so he keeps questioning me asking ‘who does that? Why did this happen?’,” said Jamie.
“He’s actually quite angry about the whole situation and he’s not that type of kid to harbour resent or anything like that, but he’s very angry.”
Jamie’s eldest, who defended his little brother, has also been left a “bit anxious”.
“He’s worried now that we’re not going to let them walk to school on their own anymore or catch a bus or anything like that. But, you know, we’ve spoken to both of them and had that discussion,” she said.
“We’re not going to stop them doing the things that they would normally do on any given day, so we’re not going to stop them from walking to school and catching public transport.
“You still have to go on and live your normal day-to-day life, but now they know to just be super vigilant at all times and try not to put themselves in harm’s way, not that they did, I mean, they were just casually walking to school.
“But hopefully with time, hopefully they can get past this.”
According to police, the offender is described as being of Pacific Islander/Maori appearance, with a beard, wearing a blue jacket and one thong on his foot.
Anyone who witnessed the incident with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or visit crimestoppersvic.com.au.
