Video of alleged affray juveniles being arrested at Helensvale emerges as parents cry foul
Police say they continue to investigate the alleged assault of a man at Westfield Helensvale last week, which resulted in six adolescents being arrested and charged. See the video here.
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Police are continuing to collate and review footage and witness accounts of an alleged assault involving a group of juveniles at Westfield Helensvale amid claims officers were heavy-handed in their response to the incident.
Last Thursday at about 2.40pm, police received reports a group of juveniles had been involved in an altercation with a 56-year-old man at the centre – understood to be a business owner – after being asked to leave a retail store, Queensland Police said in a statement previously.
A 13-year-old Pimpama girl allegedly assaulted the man, leaving him with facial injuries, and subsequently a police officer, who received minor injuries.
She was charged with assault occasioning bodily harm, serious assault police, and affray, and is expected to face Southport Childrens Court on Wednesday, as is a 12-year-old Upper Coomera boy, who is charged with affray.
Four other girls aged between 11 and 13 were all charged with affray (one of the girls faced an additional charge of assault) and were dealt with under the provisions of the Youth Justice Act 1992, meaning they were not required to face court.
Footage obtained by 7NEWS Brisbane showed the chaotic scenes at the shopping centre, both during the initial alleged attack on the 56-year-old, who reportedly placed the girl that allegedly assaulted him in a headlock while awaiting support from security, and as police swooped on the juveniles.
One clip depicts an officer grappling with a shoeless boy, forcing him back into a roller shutter, before the boy slips under the weight of the policeman, who then rolls the boy on to his stomach and pins him.
Another clip captures two officers pinning a juvenile – whose gender is not immediately clear – facedown on the tiles while the youth kicks out with their legs.
A third clip shows two officers frogmarching a girl out of the centre, followed by a single officer detaining the boy who was forced into the roller shutter.
The father of the boy told 7NEWS Brisbane he believed police used “excessive, unnecessary” force in arresting his son, while the mother of an 11-year-old girl, who she said was released without charge, made similar allegations.
The two parents said they were considering legal action following the arrests.
On Monday morning, Acting Superintendent Michelle Piket told reporters police were still piecing together what had occurred.
“All footage available, including CCTV and police body-worn camera footage, will be reviewed and form part of the investigation,” she said.
“Obviously being Monday morning, the crews have still been out collecting all the footage.
“So that footage will be reviewed in due course once all the footage is collected.
“If anyone has any footage they’d like to share with us, we’d be happy to take that.”
There were still “one or two” juveniles present at the scene that police were yet to speak to, Superintendent Piket added.
Asked whether the 56-year-old man was facing charges, in light of his physicality in restraining the girl, Superintendent Piket said she was “not aware of the specifics,” but noted he was the alleged “victim of the assault occasioning bodily harm”.
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