Woman bodyslammed in horror attack in Ringwood East
UPDATE: A WOMAN violently assaulted in a random attack in Melbourne’s outer east has told how a self defence course helped her fight him off.
Outer East
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POLICE have released terrifying CCTV footage showing a woman being dragged and thrown to the ground by a middle-aged man during a horror attack in Ringwood East on Tuesday night.
The woman received minor physical injuries as a result and said a 12-week self defence course “came in handy” during the shocking ordeal.
“I got very angry and thought I am not going to let you get away with this,” she said.
“He is a disgusting human being and it’s a horrible act.”
It is alleged the man, in his 50s or 60s, noticed the woman outside a strip of shops on Mt Dandenong Rd at 7.45pm, pulled a balaclava down over his face and approached her armed with a hammer.
Maroondah crime investigation unit detective Senior Constable David Price said the victim grabbed the hammer and wrestled with the man, but he put her in a headlock and pulled her on to the roadway.
“He has tried to choke her from behind when she screamed and alerted people in nearby shops,” Sen-Constable Price said.
He said two men from a nearby store ran to help and chased the man off.
Sen-Constable Price said the biggest concern was that it was totally random.
“He did not try and take anything from her and we can’t say why he would have chosen that victim,” he said.
Police believe the man drove away in a dark coloured twin-cab ute, parked at the centre, without putting on the car’s headlights.
There have been no similar attacks in the region.
Police have released CCTV and facial composite images of a man they want to speak to.
The man is described as being caucasian in appearance, aged between 50 and 60 years old, about 185cm tall with a medium build, salt-and-pepper coloured hair and prominent wrinkles.
He was wearing a black hooded jumper, dark denim jeans and brown tradies lace-up boots.
Anyone with information or who may recognise the man is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
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