Saturday September 21 2013
- Two middle-aged men, one an American tourist, have been brutally bashed during a spat over a taxi in East Melbourne.
The 47-year-old American, Daniel, suffered a broken nose and eye socket in the attack, which occurred at a taxi rank outside the Hilton Hotel in Wellington Parade, East Melbourne, in the early hours of Father’s Day.
Stephen, his 53-year-old companion, who did not wish to give his surname, was also left with facial injuries, including painful bone bruising around the eye, and cuts and bruises on his arms and wrists.
The Hampton grandfather said the assault, about 12:40am on September 1st, left him “drenched in blood”.
Melbourne Crime Investigation Unit Detective Senior Constable Duane Hagger said the scuffle started when three men, aged roughly in their mid-20s, “tried to commandeer a taxi”.
The victims and their friend were standing at the front of the queue and went to enter the taxi when they were stopped by the alleged assailants. Two of the three men then seriously assaulted Stephen and Daniel, punching them in the head and face, and kicking them when they fell to the ground.
The three alleged offenders backed off only when another taxi driver stepped in to break up the scuffle.
Senior Constable Hagger said the offenders then jumped in a taxi and drove to Johnston Street, Fitzroy. “The attack was unprovoked,” he said. “It could have resulted in much more serious consequences.”
Stephen said his attackers “would have kept going” if the taxi driver hadn’t intervened.
He said his attackers had “obviously been drinking”.
He had noticed one of the men being “a bit obnoxious” at the Hilton bar.
- Samantha Landy
