Tributes for Melbourne photographer Dominic O’Brien who died after alleged Footscray assault

A respected Melbourne photographer who died in hospital after he was allegedly attacked by a freed immigration detainee at Footscray has been remembered as a “lovely” and “extremely talented” man.

Dominic O'Brien has been identified as the victim of an alleged assault in Footscray. Picture: Facebook

A respected Melbourne photographer who died in hospital after he was allegedly assaulted by a freed immigration detainee at Footscray has been remembered as a “lovely bloke”.

Dominic O’Brien, 62, died on Saturday morning almost a week after he was allegedly ­attacked by Yarraville man Lominja Friday Yokoju at the intersection of Nicholson and Paisley streets about 10am on Sunday.

Outrage is now brewing over the alleged assault after Mr Yokoju was identified as one of seven former immigration ­detainees who were charged with breaching strict conditions last year.

Mr O'Brien was remembered as “a lovely bloke”. Picture: Facebook

The group, dubbed the NZYQ cohort, had their charges dropped in November last year following a High Court ruling.

The move followed a ruling that ankle monitors and curfews were unconstitutional ­because they infringed on a person’s “liberty and bodily ­integrity”.

Earlier this week, homicide squad detectives had charged Mr Yokoju, 43, with intentionally causing injury.

On Saturday, however, police said investigators were considering alternative charges following the results of a post-mortem.

Mr O’Brien, 62, was a ­respected photographer with The Australian and The Age newspapers among other major publications.

The media figure also worked for The Daily Telegraph, Sydney Morning Herald, Mushroom Records, AAP and Getty Images.

And had spent a significant period of time working with ­Indigenous Australians in the Northern Territory.

Mr O’Brien was remembered as “a lovely bloke”. Picture: Facebook

Former colleague Dave ­Geraghty, who worked with Mr O’Brien for several years at various Melbourne publications, said he was an extremely talented photographer.

“Dominic was a lovely bloke and very talented and enthusiastic news photographer,” he said.

“He really knew how to tell a story with pictures and his work was widely published in all the major newspapers.”

As tributes flowed on Saturday, opposition home affairs spokesman Andrew Hastie called the alleged “evil act” an “epic failure by the Albanese government”.

“Why wasn’t a preventive detention order used to lock him up?” he said.

“This is an epic failure by the Albanese government, even after the parliament passed special detention powers to preventthis exact scenario.”

Victorian Opposition Leader Brad Battin said Labor was “failing” at both a state and ­federal level to get crime under control.

“The Allan and Albanese governments need to get their act together,” he said.

The alleged attacker is ­accused of approaching Mr O’Brien in Footscray before engaging in a brief conversation.

He is alleged to have then brutally struck his victim and stomped on his head as he lay on the ground.

It is understood Mr Yokoju was on a bridging visa at the time of his arrest.

Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said new deportation laws were being tested in the courts.

“But the government’s principle is clear, if your visa is cancelled you need to leave Australia,” he said.

“Members of the cohort who commit additional crimes should expect to spend time in jail and then be deported.”

Mr Yokoju has been ­remanded in custody and is to appear at Melbourne Magistrates Court on October 20.

Police and local council authorities have increased ­security patrols in the Footscray area following a string of ­violent attacks. Maribrynong Council said the comunity had been left “shaken” by Mr O’Brien’s death.

“We are working closely with authorities and community services to ensure Footscray remains a place of belonging, safety and connection,” it said.

Originally published as Tributes for Melbourne photographer Dominic O’Brien who died after alleged Footscray assault