On December 21 last year on the Friday before Xmas, I had celebrated the day with work colleagues in the city until about 7 PM, at which time I left to head to Richmond to see friends. As I walked through the city I went down a lane, and saw 4 men walking toward me. 3 of them seemed to be getting into the other man, but it seemed as if they knew each other and they were mucking around. As quick as a flash, and unexpectedly the 3 started attacking the one man ferociously with total disregard for his life in my opinion. Within seconds the man was on the ground and the 3 cowards started kicking him, firstly around the torso and then in the head. Instinctively I came towards the men with my arms forward, try to get one foot either side of the mans head to protect him from the brutal onslaught, and calm the group down. I have no doubt that if I did not take this course of action, that this would be another bloodied and beaten face in the paper, possibly with brain injuries as a result.

I was then kicked/punched in the ribs by another coward from behind, apparently an opportunist with nothing to do with the original fighting group. I was immediately out of the fight with 3 broken ribs for Christmas. I do not know what happened to the man on the ground.

After lying on the ground for what seemed like 45 second to 1 minute, and with not one person coming to my aide I might add, I immediately witnessed 2 additional fights totally unrelated to the first. 3 fights, 3 minutes in one lane in broad day light at Christmas in front of families in the most liveable city in the world. Where have we gone wrong?

So after all of this, the police showed up and took names etc. They told me that they would get in touch with me and gave me phone number to call them. I knew there were 6 CCTV cameras in the lane giving better coverage of the incident than the MCG gets on the Friday night. I got in the cab, huddled over wincing in pain, with the celebrations over. I called my wife and went home to bed. I have had broken ribs before playing footy, and knew there was nothing that could be done. I spent Christmas on my back.

After Xmas I waited for the call, and had heard nothing by the 5th of January, so I started calling. I called and called and called. I was given fro m one constable to another. One was heading down to Tasmania for Bush fires, another was going on Holiday. After ringing 10 -15 time I gave up. They don’t care. No wonder this city is going down the toilet.

So now these people get away with it. The perpetrators are protected and the victims are not. And what have the perpetrators learnt from this? Not much, except that they can get away with attacking innocent people without having to worry about police follow-up. Perhaps next time the same men will kill someone. Will someone care then?

But even if they do get caught, what will this mean? More than likely it will be a slap on the wrist. A suspended sentence, a fine, a good behaviour bond as the victim goes through years or a life time of therapy. Families put their life on hold as they care for the victim. An example in today’s age (I know it is not a Victorian Case, but it is by no means rare in Vic) is that of Welsh Rugby Player Craig Mitchell hitting Cian Barry for no reason (http://www.theage.com.au/queensland/welsh-prop-should-have-been-jailed-victim-20130628-2p0qi.html). Craig only got a suspended sentence and $3000 fine. $3000 is nothing. He probably spent that in the pub that night. How is $3000 going to get Cian on his feet again?

The Victorian public (an Australian in general) are absolutely sick of lenient sentencing. Put all of these people who are destroying our cities away. I would never be caught in the city on a Friday or Saturday night these days, and I am 105 KG.

How many people have to die, and how many families have to be destroyed before Politicians actually take this seriously. We’ve had enough. Return the city to the people, and put away these violent dru nken thugs for real prison time.

I decided the night that I was hit that I will not bring my family up in Melbourne. I am leaving at the end of the year.