Man charged over cameraman’s alleged assault in Melton South

A man has faced charges after footage captured his alleged assault on a Seven News cameraman while filming at a home in Melbourne’s west.

A man who allegedly assaulted a Seven News cameraman in Melbourne’s west has been arrested and charged by police.

The arrest came after police responded to a crash in Bentleigh East on Wednesday afternoon, where an allegedly stolen vehicle crashed into another car on Bignell Rd about 3.40pm.

Officers arrested a 26-year-old Melton man, who they believe assaulted Seven News camera operator Damien Shine on May 15, with a number of offences.

He’s been charged with assault, intentionally causing injury, possessing methamphetamine, theft of motor vehicle, disqualified driving, careless driving and possess prohibited weapon, before he fronts the Moorabbin Magistrates’ Court later this week.

Mr Shine was allegedly set upon while filming at a job in Melbourne’s west and previously described the alleged offender as “gutless”.

Experienced camera operator Mr Shine said he became suspicious of the people his TV crew were speaking to when they answered their front door in Melton South on Monday.

“We just knocked on their door and they were pretty pleasant at the start, they just told us they were aliens from another world and to leave us alone,” he told SEN on Tuesday.

“So we knew we were dealing with fruit loops so we left them alone (and) about 20 minutes later they’d had a bit of dutch courage, or whatever they had in their house, and decided to attack us and it just went from there.”

Armed Crime Squad detectives are appealing for information following an aggravated burglary with shots fired at an address in Melton South last month.

Police say the two men are loosely associated with the street but not the address or the victims of the alleged burglary.

Mr Shine was allegedly kneed in the stomach by one of the men before the other approached from the side and punched him in the head.

It’s alleged the men then began throwing large rocks at members of the media before fleeing the scene.

Parts of the alleged attack were caught on camera by TV crews also at the scene.

State Anti-Gangs Division Superintendent Jason Kelly said the targeted attack was extremely confronting and police would leave no stone unturned in locating the intruders.

Four people

Mr Shine, who suffered a depressed cheekbone, said he’s still got a “bit of a headache” but is improving ahead of his return to work on Wednesday.

The award-winning cameraman said the alleged offender hit him in the head from behind.

“He sort of just blindsided me, just coward punched me like the gutless dude he was and just walked off,” he added.

“Generally I’m good at talking my way out of it, but this guy just got me from behind so I had no chance of covering or anything like that.”

Police are investigating the alleged attack.

Police are looking for four offenders who forced entry into the Fraser Street property on April 24.

Investigators have been told the four men were armed with a rifle, a machete and a baton.

Mr Shine had been among other news teams covering the police investigation into an aggravated burglary on a home in Fraser St.

Four men armed with a rifle, a machete and a baton stormed the house at 4am on April 24.

Shots were fired and the men demanded a safe, drugs and cash while assaulting a man and two women who had been inside.

The victims told the intruders there were no drugs or cash at the property.

They then allegedly fled the premises, stealing a white Volkswagen Polo in the process.

A man, 31, was taken to hospital with a knife wound to the face and the women, 44 and 67, suffered minor injuries.

The intruders found a safe and police have been told they stole jewellery.

They drove from the scene in a white Volkswagen Polo, which was later found incinerated in the Geelong suburb of North Shore.

Detectives have released footage of a white Mazda CX-5 with a sticker on the rear windscreen which they believe was used by the men.

“Investigators are keen to speak to anyone with any knowledge of the incident on Monday, 24 April or who may have been in the area and have dashcam footage,” a Victoria Police statement said.

Anyone who recognises the Mazda or who witnessed the incident can contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or visit the website crimestoppersvic.com.au.