A 14-year-old boy, who police imagine is a “youth gang member” and the principal offender within the alleged assault on the scholar from Glen Eira Secondary College, was charged in a single day.
The teen’s arrest was welcome news to sufferer Benjamin’s household, who advised 9News the Year 9 scholar was slowly recovering in hospital after struggling “life-altering” accidents.
Police imagine Benjamin was strolling house with three different college students when a gray Volkswagen Tiguan approached about 3.35pm on Monday.
The sufferer was allegedly pushed into the automobile earlier than it took off.
He was then left with critical accidents after he was allegedly ejected out of the shifting automobile.
Benjamin’s father advised 9News right now his son remained in a coma on the Royal Children’s Hospital however was slowly attempting to get up.
“It’s really sad you know, we can’t sleep,” he mentioned.
“We just (need to) wait for him to wake up and I don’t know much about what’s going on with his head.”
Speaking to media right now, Victoria Police Inspector Scott Dwyer mentioned extra arrests have been anticipated over the approaching days.
“There has been an arrest of a 14-year-old youth gang member who we believe is the principal offender from this incident,” he mentioned.
“I anticipate in the hours that follow and the days that follow there will be further arrests, that will give us some comfort that the incident we saw would be addressed.”
“I want the community to know we are there with them, we are responsive and we take action.
“We are there attempting to stop these crimes.”
The accused, from Frankston South, has been charged with a string of offences including armed robbery, robbery, conduct endangering life, intentionally cause serious injury, theft of motor vehicle, theft, possess controlled weapon and commit indictable offence on bail.
He was remanded in custody to appear in children’s court at an unspecified date.
At least two students have come forward to report similar incidents since police appealed for witnesses in relation to the attack on the Glen Eira Secondary College student.
The two from the same school, aged 14 and 16, contacted police about being attacked or robbed.
“We imagine these to be the identical offenders and linked to the identical circumstances,” Dwyer said.
Students targeted across Melbourne’s east
A growing number of secondary schools across Melbourne’s south-east have also reported similar incidents over the past month.
Salesian College, located in Chadstone, about 8km from Glen Huntly, has been the latest school to report an alleged attack on its students.
Principal Mark Ashmore said police were investigating after a student was approached but wasn’t injured while at Chadstone Shopping Centre on Friday evening.
“Our boys want to pay attention to their environment and be alert and search assist in the event that they really feel unsafe,” he mentioned.
Last week, Xavier College students in Kew, about 12km from Glen Huntly, were also targeted.
The school issued a student safety reminder yesterday to parents, encouraging students to not be distracted by their phones when walking, not to wear noise-cancelling headphones and to go directly home after school.
The reminder follows an incident where a number of students were approached by a group of unknown people on August 1.
The group allegedly stole property from the students.
Victoria Police today reassured the community that the safety of school students was a high priority.
“We have dispatched additional patrols to key areas, specialist assets together with the mounted department to help in giving (mother and father) a stage of consolation that we’re there with you,” Dwyer said.
“We need to reassure our neighborhood, particularly for the mums and dads and children, that they’re protected to stroll to highschool.
“My advice to the broader community, including those with school-age children, just be aware of your surroundings, but don’t be anxious.”
Source: www.9news.com.au
