Blakeview mother Jess DeWet left traumatised, concussed after violent one-punch attack

Jess was walking to her car with a packet of laundry detergent in her hand, the next thing she remembers was trying to escape the man who threw the “coward punch”.

Jess DeWet had just bought laundry detergent and was walking back to her car when the next thing she knew she was on the pavement.

The 38-year-old Blakeview woman had been floored out the front of the Blakes Crossing Shopping Centre in broad daylight by what she says was a “coward punch”.

“As I walked down the footpath I could hear someone running. I thought it was a jogger so I moved to the right to make way for the person to be able to pass me,” she said.

“Then I just suddenly felt a blow to the back of my head and fell to the ground.”

The incident is alleged to have occurred on Thursday afternoon about 2pm near the corner of Main St and Boucaut Ave.

Blakeview woman Jess DeWet, who says she was “coward punched” while walking to her car, with her children. Picture: Supplied

The single mum’s memory was blurry after the alleged attack with a hospital trip revealing she had suffered a concussion.

But she remembers the person, who she believes was a man, coming towards her again.

She said he picked up the laundry detergent, before throwing it at her and fleeing.

“I was trying to get away from him,” she said.

“People across the road started shouting at him … then he ran away.

“It was completely random, I’ve never seen him before.

“I live a pretty boring life so I don’t think I upset him somehow.”

A SA Police spokesperson said they were aware of the incident and were investigating.

“A woman was walking along when she was approached from behind by an unknown man and struck in the head,” they said.

“The man is described as being of African appearance, aged in his early 20s, tall with a thin build. He was wearing a blue spotted hooded top and light grey track pants.”

A staff member of a nearby business said they saw the man fleeing and did what they could to assist Ms DeWet.

She said she had noticed several young men of African appearance congregating in the area – estimating one-in-three were wearing home detention anklets.

Outside the Blakeview Woolworths where Ms DeWet says the attack occurred. Picture: Google Maps

The incident comes as SA Police crack down on two feuding youth gangs concentrated largely in suburbs including Munno Para, Andrews Farm and Craigmore.

Operation Meld was ramped up in February as the gangs became more violent and in April a 17-year-old from Meadow Heights in Victoria was charged with murder over the fatal North Terrace stabbing of Ngor Bol, 25.

Ms DeWet came to Australia from South Africa 16 years ago for what she hoped would be a safer life.

Now she’s been left traumatised by the alleged attack.

“I’ve always felt safe here in Blakeview, but not anymore,” she said.

“I will definitely be more cautious and park as close to the entrance as possible.

“I struggled to sleep (Thursday) night. Every time I fell asleep I thought I saw something blue move towards me.”

Just last week the victim of a one-punch attack at the Bridgeway Hotel broke his silence as he appealed for information about the incident.

Adam Whetstone, 32, was rushed to hospital where he was placed in intensive care.

Supplied Editorial Adam Whetstone was left with serious injuries after an assault last month. Picture: 9 News

Francesco Candido. Picture: Supplied

Late last year 89-year-old West Croydon man Francesco Candido died two weeks after an “unprovoked” attack on Grote Street.

The attack left him with a fractured skull and bleeding on the brain and witnessed said he was carrying shopping bags when he was hit.

Joel Raymond Page, 33 of North Adelaide, pleaded guilty to manslaughter just one month later.

Ms DeWet said she was still struggling to get over the fact the punch could have killed her.

“People have died of coward punches before,” she said.

“I feel sick every time I think my kids could have lost me.”

City of Playford councillor Gay Smallwood-Smith, whose ward the incident location falls in, had heard what had happened and was sympathetic to Ms DeWet.

Ms Smallwood-Smith was in the process of setting up a Neighbourhood Watch group and was expecting similar incidents to be followed up by the group.

She said she believed the incident to be isolated.

“I shop there quite a lot and have not seen any incidents of that sort in a long time,” she said.

“I am not unduly concerned.”