Home-invasion victim tells of crow bar attack

He spoke with a strong demeanor, but the 44-year-old was still shaken from the terrifying ordeal that left him with a fractured eye socket.

“I’ve been in some fights in my time, but I’ve never wound up with a black eye, let alone this,” he said.

The Midland resident, who wishes to be known as Trevor, said it was a case of mistaken identity that led to five men forcing their way into his home.

“I heard someone creeping around on the front lawn. Then I heard someone whisper a name and I thought it was my friend’s son. I thought ‘geez what is he doing out this late?’ so I opened the front door,” he said.

Trevor said he was met with the five men standing at his front door. Before he had time to react, he said he copped a violent blow to his face.

“He hit me straight away with a crow bar. The first whack closed my eye straight up and I couldn’t see properly,” he recalled.

“I managed to fight him off a bit and get the door closed. I caught one of their hands in the door. I was trying to get the door shut, but their fingers were still in the door so I couldn’t

"I let a bit of pressure off so they could get their hand out. I nearly got the door shut and they must have all put their weight on the door and I just couldn’t get it shut.”

Trevor said he struggled with the five men as they forced their way into his home.

“I went down on my knees and from there they grabbed a blanket off the ground and threw that over my head and started beating me again with the crow bar and kicking me and asking me where my money was,” he said.

He said the moments that followed were a blur of painful kicks and hits, as he began to fear for his life.

“I was laying on the floor thinking ‘this is it, they’re going to stab me’.

Eventually, one of the men located his wallet, which contained $20.

“All of a sudden it was quiet and they were gone. I was left lying on the lounge room floor. I pulled the blanket off my head. I knocked on the neighbour’s door but they were asleep, so I went home and rang triple-0,” he said.

Two weeks on, Trevor said his bruises and fractured eye socket are healing.

“It’s still something I am still coming to terms with - all of that for $20,” he said.

However WA Police fear the men may strike again.

This week, they released an identikit of the man they allege attacked Trevor with the crow bar. He is described as approximately 20 -25 years of age, with a dark complexion, short dark wavy hair, approximately 183cm tall and a slim build. He was wearing dark clothing at the time.

Anyone with information is asked to call Crimestoppers on 1800 333 000.