Elderly man ‘traumatised’ after pier push
A teenager has been charged for allegedly pushing an elderly man off a pier, with footage capturing the group laughing and celebrating after the incident.
The video shows three teens walking along the pier, before one boy begins encouraging his friend to push an unsuspecting man into the water.
He can be heard saying: “Go, go, go, go, go,” before a loud splash can be heard as the man hits the water.
The group then walks off laughing, with one teen saying: “Yeah the boys”.
The video was uploaded by a member of the group on Monday.
Victoria Police were called to the Mornington Pier at about 11.30pm Sunday after reports a man, believed to be 79 years old, was allegedly assaulted and pushed into the water.
Mornington MP Chris Crewther said the man could not swim and was rescued by bystanders.
Mr Crewther said the man is “highly shaken and traumatised” by the event.
If the allegations were upheld by a court, the MP said those responsible should be punished to the full extent of the law.
“For these kids to act so brazenly as if they don’t give a toss about anything. I mean, that’s just I’m actually lost for words. I just don’t know what to make of it,” he told the Today Show on Wednesday.
Mr Crewther said it was appeared from the video the kids wanted some “social media notoriety”.
“It’s a disgraceful thing to have happened...and it shouldn’t happen again,” he said.
Police charged a 14-year-old boy from Crib Point in the Mornington Peninsula on Monday with reckless endangerment and unlawful assault.
He will appear before a children’s court at a later date.
Mr Crewther said the police are now looking at whether the other teenagers can be charged.
“But even more so, hopefully these people can give a personal apology to this gentleman,” he said.
“This 79 year old man who was just minding his own business and is probably lucky to have not been seriously injured or killed.”
