Irrawang High School accused of ignoring brutal bus bashing

Melita Pratt says Irrawang High School failed to address her concerns after her son was bashed on a bus home from school.

A distraught mother whose 17-year-old son was brutally bashed on the bus home from school claims she received no response from the school for days after raising the “sickening” incident.

NSW Police is now investigating the incident which left Irrawang High School student Kobe Pratt with a fractured nose, eye injuries, and multiple bruises to his skull.

Kobe was attacked last Friday, on the bus home from his school, near Raymond Terrace.

Kobe’s distraught mother Melita Pratt claims Irrawang High School didn’t respond to multiple emails about the incident for almost a week, only responding after The Daily Telegraph made inquiries.

In a statement, an Education Department spokesman said that one student had been suspended over the attack, which occurred at about 3.10pm last Friday.

Kobe Pratt was attacked after leaving Irrawang High School.

Kobe’s mother took photos of his injuries.

Kobe had only been enrolled at the school since Term 4, after the family moved into the area for Kobe’s father’s Royal Australian Air Force posting.

Ms Pratt told The Telegraph that a group of boys started “jostling” her son, unprovoked, at the bus stop outside school.

“While they were wanting to get on the bus, Kobe was being jostled and pushed, they kept asking him to jump on the road (to fight), and one of them looked like he was attempting to take his belt off his pants in a threatening manner,” Ms Pratt said.

That continued inside the bus for around 10-15 minutes, she said.

When one of the boys “swiped Kobe across the face”, causing a cut, he told the group: “Don’t f..king touch me,” she said.

“One of the big boys (then) came up behind Kobe, while Kobe was still in his seat facing forward … and punched him in the back of the head.”

Education Minister Prue Car said the attack was “sickening”.

Dazed, Kobe stood up and turned around.

“Then he copped eight to nine punches to the face, towards the right hand side, in the back of his head.”

Eventually, the bus driver came to Kobe’s aid. Police were later called but no arrests or charges have been made.

Ms Pratt rushed Kobe to hospital for scans, concerned that he would suffer ongoing eye damage.

“Police have been told that the boy had been approached by a group of boys before he was assaulted,” NSW Police said in a statement.

“The bus driver intervened, and the group of boys got off the bus and left the scene.

“The bus driver rendered first aid to the 17-year-old who was later taken to Maitland Hospital for the treatment of fractures, bruising and abrasions.”

Ms Pratt emailed Irrawang High School on Monday morning to tell the school of the attack.

Later that morning a staff member from the school phoned Ms Pratt about her daughter; the staff member was unaware of the attack.

Ms Pratt emailed the school on Tuesday to withdraw Kobe and his sister’s enrolment.

She said she had received no correspondence from the school until Friday, after the Telegraph made inquiries.

In a statement, the department said the school had made “attempts” to contact the family after the incident.

“Irrawang High School’s highest priority is student safety, and it does not tolerate any violent behaviour,” an Education Department spokesman said in a statement.

“Disciplinary action involving a student was taken immediately on the morning the school became aware of the incident.”

Education Minister Prue Car said the attack was “sickening”.

“Violence of any kind, during or outside of school time, is completely unacceptable.

“The school has suspended one student involved in this incident and will not hesitate to take further action if needed.

“For this young boy to be attacked in this sickening way while travelling home from school is every parent’s worst nightmare,” she said.

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