Man forced to learn to walk, talk and eat again after brutal bashing

The mother of a man who almost died after allegedly being bashed by young thugs says she had to watch her son take his first steps and speak his first words all over again at the age of 38.

The mother of a man who was allegedly brutally bashed by young thugs says she has had to watch her son take his first steps, speak his first words and eat his first solid foods all over again at the age of 38.

Ella Wilesmith’s son, Benjamin Cant who has autism, was found by a security guard in a pool of blood near the Ashleigh Barty Tennis Court at Springfield Lakes on March 27 last year after he was allegedly bashed.

Mr Cant was in a coma for the first five months fighting for life and since then he has been relearning how to live again.

“There’s a lot of firsts with Benjamin all over again, I saw his first steps when he was small and I saw his first steps at 38 because he could not walk for all of those months,” Ms Wilesmith said.

Benjamin Cant has had to learn to walk, talk and eat again.

Benjamin Cant was assaulted by a 14yr old.

“I heard his first words as a baby, I heard his first words when they took out the tracheostomy and he said “Hi Mum.”

“The nurse was jumping up and down. She was excited as I was, and she ran out into the hallway and said “he said hi mum,” so that was really good.”

Ms Wilesmith said it has been a long journey.

“He came out of the ICU, and then he was put into the neurological ward. Within 48 hours, he had crashed back down, and they did not expect him to live that weekend, and the police were called to his bedside to confirm that he probably would not make the weekend,” she said.

“I actually spent 11 hours with Benjamin that day, just calling to him, saying you cannot leave. You can’t leave. You’ve got a life and you’ve got to choose life.

“On Monday, the police said, “wow, he really defied all expectations, didn’t he?” and she said, “Yes, we began treating it as a homicide.”

The 14-year-old boy accused of Benjamin’s assault fronted Ipswich Magistrates Court on Tuesday.

Ella Wilesmith outside the Ipswich Magistrates Court. Picture: Tertius Pickard

He was committed to stand trial at Ipswich Childrens Court without a jury and there was no application for bail.

He was charged with deprivation of liberty, robbery and acts intended to cause grievous bodily harm,

Ms Wilesmith said coming face-to-face with the alleged offender and his mother was extremely difficult.

“I was anxious going in. I think trying to put a face to the person who had allegedly offended against Benjamin,” she said.

Benjamin Cant has a long road ahead of him.

“I had wondered about this person and seeing him and seeing his family was strangely peaceful and I think there was a sense of relief.

“I felt a lot of empathy for his mother.”

But Ms Wilesmith said it was only the beginning.

“It’s a very surreal experience seeing him, it is also something we will have to get used to,” she said.

“This is the beginning, we are yet to go to trial and there is also the other (alleged) offender.”

Ms Wilesmith said she was happy seeing how far her son had come.

“He still has double vision. He will eventually, hopefully walk without someone next to him. He’s learning to walk on uneven surfaces,” she said.

“He is getting back into music. He is starting to play guitar, having music therapy.”

But it had been devastating on the whole family.

Aaron Human, Ella Wilesmith and Ariel Cant outside the Ipswich Magistrates Court. Picture: Tertius Pickard

“It has hit each one of his siblings deeply and in an extremely personal way that not even their friends can comprehend, even though there’s been support for friends obviously,” she said.

“Noone can quantify the impact of devastation in his siblings or his family. Noone will ever be able to comprehend that unless they’ve experienced it themselves.”