GoFundMe page set up to help St Kilda’s Simon Baric after brutal bashing

Neighbours of an elderly man brutally bashed outside his St Kilda home have started an online fundraising page in a bid to help the 73-year-old recover from surgery after his skull was fractured in the violent incident.

Donations have started flowing for a “gentle old soul” whose skull was fractured during a vicious attack outside his St Kilda home last Friday.

Simon Baric, 73, was hailed a hero after he tried to fend off his attackers — two men about half his age — with a cricket bat.

Dramatic footage shows Mr Baric being struck and falling to the ground before the two men savagely kick him while he’s down.

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Mr Baric has since undergone surgery and is expected to spend at least two weeks in hospital.

Two men were charged with assault related offences and bailed to appear in court next year.

Katherine Wilson has started a GoFundMe page to help the brave pensioner get back on his feet.

“Residents of St Kilda want to show their support by raising funds to help in his recovery,” she said.

“He is a kind gentleman that looks out for others and now it’s our turn to look out for him.”

Footage of the attack on Mr Baric.

Simon Baric in hospital after he was bashed in St Kilda.

One of the men sinks a boot into Mr Baric while he is crumpled on the ground.

Marion Robinson told the Leader she had been walking past the incident on Balluk Willam Court just moments after and stopped to help Mr Baric, whose face was “covered in blood”.

“It was pretty horrific, I’ve never seen anything like it,” she said.

“It was quite a horrendous scene and he’s really a gentle old soul.”

She said stopping to help Mr Baric was “a no-brainer”.

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“To me there was just an old man who needed help and I’m surprised more people didn’t stop to offer it,” she said.

“There’s some nasty stuff going on around St Kilda at the moment but it really is such a great community and such a great place to live when it comes down to it.”

The GoFundMe page has so far raised $450 since it launched on Sunday.