Victim of assault calls on LNP to make good on ‘adult crime, adult time’ promise

As he walked his elderly mother back to the car through a shopping centre carpark, George Helon was punched across the face by a young person. Now he’s calling on the LNP to make good on their promise of a hard line approach to youth crime.

Toowoomba resident, George Helon, is calling for change after he was assaulted at Clifford Gardens shopping centre.

Less than a fortnight after a Toowoomba resident voted for the LNP, drawn to them for their hard line policy on youth crime, he was violently assaulted by a teen.

Now George Helon is imploring the LNP government to make good on their promise, and start cracking down.

Mr Helon has been the sole carer for his elderly mother, Elizabeth, for more than a decade.

He said he took his role as her carer very seriously, which was why when the pair were attacked as they left Toowoomba’s Clifford Gardens shopping centre, he had to speak up.

He said he has voted for the LNP in the past, but is by no means a loyalist.

However, in the last election he decided to vote in favour of the LNP’s hard line approach to youth crime.

He said “adult crime, adult time,” seemed fair to him.

On November 7, Mr Helon said he and his 81-year-old mother were returning to their car after coffee, when they found their path blocked by bikes belonging to two young people.

Mr Helon said he asked them to clear the path, as his mother relied on a walker for mobility.

He said not only did they not comply, they quickly became argumentative.

Eventually, Mr Helon said he moved the bikes himself, and began ushering his mother to the car.

“They started circling us like two sharks,” Mr Helon said.

Eventually, the altercation came to a head, and Mr Helon was clocked across the face by one of the children.

A week later, Mr Helon’s left eye was still smudged with a bruise, and no one has yet been charged.

A Queensland Police Service spokeswoman said police are still investigating the incident.

“Around 3.45pm, a man and woman were exiting a shopping centre on Anzac Ave when they were involved in a verbal altercation with a boy in the carpark,” the spokeswoman said.

“The boy became verbally abusive and followed the man and woman to their car.

“The boy proceeded to kick their vehicle and assaulted the 59-year-old man.

“The man sustained minor injuries and did not require medical treatment at the scene.”

Mr Helon said it was time for change.

Now, he is calling on the LNP to come good on their promise of adult time for adult crime.

Member for Toowoomba North, Trevor Watts, said the LNP was serious about their pledge.

“This is a horrible alleged incident, and yet another senseless act in our community,” Mr Watts said.

“At the election the LNP said by the end of 2024 we would legislate the Making Queensland Safer Laws, including Adult Crime, Adult Time, removing detention as a last resort and putting victims’ rights first.

“This process is well underway and when we sit for the first time as a new Government at the end of this month Queenslanders will see we are serious about fixing the crime crisis left by the Labor Government.“

Mr Watts was asked directly whether the LNP could realistically deliver on this promise, and what the government’s plan was. Both questions went unanswered.

A spokesman for Clifford Garden said the shopping centre was aware of the incident, and they were co-operating with the investigation.

“Immediate action was taken by our security team to diffuse the situation and ensure the safety of all individuals involved,” the spokesman said.

“We are committed to maintaining a safe and welcoming environment for all visitors, and will continue to review our security protocols and other initiatives.”

Originally published as Victim of assault calls on LNP to make good on ‘adult crime, adult time’ promise