STRUCK OUT

The two critical words are ‘baseball’ and ‘bat’. And the critical question: Why would a bunch of graffiti vandals take a baseball bat along with them – along with their destructive aerosol cans – when they went out defacing trains at Newport rail yard on Monday? The answer: To use as a weapon if they got caught.

One of the teenage vandals did in fact use it to club a 10-year-old Police dog when Police interrupted their graffiti spree.

Before that the graffiti gang had spent twenty minutes spray painting a carriage while one took pictures after 18-year-old Zar Hunt, from Tullamarine, texted three friends to join him painting trains and used bolt cutters to enter the rail yard.

The young hoodlums were big and brave when first caught by the Police dog. One, seized by the ankle, hit the dog with the baseball bat. Then Hunt put the boot in.

The tough guy stuff continued after he was arrested. He insulted the bail justice hearing his case and used a stone to tag (as they call it) the wall of his Police Station cell.

But things changed in Melbourne’s Magistrate’s Court yesterday where Hunt cried uncontrollably before being released on bail last night.

In the bail plea the court was told that Hunt would be vulnerable in custody because of his age and a ‘possible drug-induced psychosis’. Should have thought of that earlier.

Magistrate Amanda Chambers said she was concerned about the attack on the Police dog and Hunt’s actions in the Police cells. ‘Your behaviour in many respects is simply out of control’.

But she released him on bail under a curfew and the supervision of Youth Justice and ordered a mental health assessment. Strict conditions, she said, would reduce the risk of his re-offending while on bail.

I guess only time will tell. Hunt faces charges of criminal damage and beating an animal and returns to court next month.

The Police dog named Salem, a German Shepherd recently awarded the Victoria Police service medal, needed a visit to the vet and painkillers but will make a full recovery.

I guess Hunt’s tears of self-pity have dried by now.

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

© Copyright Derryn Hinch 2009