‘Disgusting crime’: Police condemn attack on 80-year-old woman in Alice Springs
An 80-year-old woman has ended up in hospital after a trio of alleged thieves broke into her home and threw a rock at her.
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Police have slammed an attack on an 80-year-old woman in which three alleged juvenile thieves threw a rock at her face in Alice Springs on Monday as “disgusting”.
The woman’s face was left swollen and bloodied after she tried to fend off three boys, aged 11, 13 and 13 who allegedly broke into her Telegraph Tce home shortly after 1am.
NT Police Commander Danny Bacon described the attack as “horrific” and said the elderly woman had been left “very” shaken up.
“Having an unlawful entry of your dwelling would shake anybody up, let alone an 80-year-old lady,” he said.
“It’s a disgusting crime against innocent victims of the Northern Territory.”
Commander Bacon commended police efforts in apprehending the alleged offenders who they were able to identify while fleeing the scene by deploying a drone.
“It’s good to see some quick reactions by the Northern Territory Police but also good to see communities reaching into policing, contacting police and ensuring we have some co-ordinated activity in regards to that,” he said.
Earlier, Southern Watch Commander Andrew Dunne said the woman had woken and confronted the children after they found her purse.
“They’ve thrown a rock in her face and that victim suffered some swelling and lacerations to her face,” he said.
Southern Watch Commander Andrew Dunne said the woman was taken to Alice Springs Hospital and was “very shaken up but fine.”
Detective Acting Senior Sergeant Marcus Becker urged anyone with information to contact police on 131 444 and quote reference number 10518978.
“This was a confronting, violent attack on a vulnerable member of our community and we wish her a full recovery,” he said.
The 11-year-old was taken home to a responsible adult and will be dealt with under the Youth Justice Act while charges are expected to be laid against the older children.
Araluen MLA Robyn Lambley said the Alice Springs community was “sickened and distressed” by the attack.
“The savage assault of this old woman in her home by three youths in the early hours of Monday morning sends a message to us all that serious crime is continuing unabated in Alice Springs, with little to no consequences for young offenders,” she said.
“The incredible part about it is that all three ‘alleged’ juvenile perpetrators will probably be wandering around the streets of Alice Springs again tonight unaffected and unperturbed by their recent encounter with the NT justice system.
“This is fundamentally flawed and teaches these disturbed young people nothing about right and wrong, only what they can get away with.”
Police Minister Brent Potter said it was important the children be held accountable for their actions appropriately.
“Some of them will get dealt with under the Youth Justice Act and that’s going down the path of 24/7 child protection so we get better case management with these children that need support,” he said.
“But for those that are at the criminal age, I believe they’ll be put through the system and they need to be held accountable.”
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Originally published as ‘Disgusting crime’: Police condemn attack on 80-year-old woman in Alice Springs
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