Hunt for teen after wheelchair-bound Canadian battered at station
GLENDA KWEK AND DYLAN WELCH
March 10, 2010 - 12:59PM
A wheelchair-bound Canadian tourist is in a serious condition after an alleged unprovoked assault by two youths at a train station in Sydney's west last night, say police.
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The 35-year-old Mosman man - who is undergoing surgery for head wounds today - was on the platform at Mount Druitt train station when two teenagers approached him, police said.
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They "verbally intimidated" him, so he tried to leave by a lift at the station, police said.
But one of the youths allegedly punched him in the face, knocking him out of his wheelchair.
The teenagers then allegedly stomped on the tourist, hitting him about the head and body with metal bars - one from the wheelchair, police said. They then tried to take his wheelchair and belongings.
Police allege the pair left but returned a few times to batter the man with the metal bars again before running from the station.
A NSW Ambulance spokesman said emergency services were called to the station about 11.15pm.
The victim was taken to Westmead Hospital in a serious condition about 11.45pm and was operated on for a depressed skull wound and cuts.
Mount Druitt Local Area Commmander Superintendent Wayne Cox told reporters this morning that the attack had taken between three to five minutes and had been captured on security video as well as being witnessed by a train station employee.
He described the attack as ‘‘a calculated assault’’.
‘‘It’s one of the most serious attacks I’ve seen,’’ Superintendent Cox said.
‘‘Particularly when you’re looking at a person that’s confined to a wheelchair.
‘‘It’s quite distressing to see these young people come back and assault him on a number of occasions.’’
Police said the man was a tourist, who is visiting Australia on a year-long visa, and had been living in Mosman on Sydney's lower north shore.
He was in Mount Druitt to watch friends play in a band.
A 16-year-old youth was charged with robbery and assault offences today and is due to face Parramatta’s Children Court.
Police are still looking for the second alleged attacker, who they say is aged between 12 and 15 and of Pacific Islander appearance. He was last seen wearing a white long-sleeved T-shirt, a logo on the front and black track-suit pants.
Kristin Sharrock from Mosman, said she met the victim, who does not want to be identified, at a Pearl Jam concert in Los Angeles last year.
They started dating and he came to Australia in November to visit her.
Ms Sharrock said the victim had a snowmobile accident in Canada about 10 years ago and had been confined to a wheelchair as a result.
‘‘He is a wonderful, kind, generous individual. He’s been through a lot in his life and he doesn’t deserve what’s happened.’’
Ms Sharrock said she was called at midnight by police and told what had happened.
‘‘I was disgusted. I can’t believe someone would attack anybody, let alone someone in a wheelchair.’’
Police said they were reviewing CCTV footage of the alleged assault and urged anyone who could assist to phone Mount Druitt police on 9675 0699 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
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