Boys arrested following police officer attack

An off-duty police officer was allegedly violently attacked by three youths he didn’t know while walking down Whiteman St late on Friday, May 29.

Police said the 32-year-old was walking southwards after finishing his shift, when the boys approached him and became verbally abusive at about 11pm.
The trio then allegedly physically assaulted the man by punching and kicking him.

He called Triple Zero and was found soon after by patrolling police but the boys had already fled, police said. The officer was treated at the scene by paramedics.

The following day, Saturday, May 30, members of Melbourne CIU, North West Metro Regional Crime Squad and VIPER taskforce executed three search warrants in the Merri-bek and Hume areas, which resulted in a 14-year-old from the Merri-bek area being arrested and interviewed.

He was charged with: intentionally cause injury, recklessly cause injury, common law assault, assault in company, possess prohibited weapon without excuse and possess drug of dependence, and was bailed to appear at a children’s court at a later date.

On Sunday, May 31 a 15-year-old from the Hume area was arrested, charged and remanded in custody.

He was charged with: intentionally cause injury, reckless cause injury, common law assault and assault in company and was refused bail at a weekend online remand court hearing.

According to a report by the Herald Sun, the boy required treatment from a custody nurse for a suspected fracture to his right arm.

Police said an investigation into the third person involved in the attack was ongoing. •