Police officer kicked in head by teen at Highpoint feels let down by system he works for

THE police officer who was kicked in the head by a teenager at Highpoint on Boxing Day has told a court he has been let down by the system he works for while his wife fears for his ongoing safety.

The officer suffered bruising around his eye but could have easily lost his vision. Picture: Supplied

THE police officer who was kicked in the head by a teenager at Highpoint Shopping Centre on Boxing Day has told a court he has been let down by the system he works for while his wife fears for his ongoing safety.

The police officer was attacked by the 17-year-old while he was kneeling on the ground trying to restrain a young shoplifter at the shopping centre.

He suffered bruising and swelling around the left eye but could have easily lost his vision.

COP KICKER’S SENTENCE TO BE APPEALED

The teen was sentenced in January to a nine month probation order and no conviction was recorded.

The Director of Public Prosecutions has appealed the sentence given the gravity of the offending which normally attracts a custodial sentence.

The police officer told the County Court this morning he was upset when the youth was granted bail by a magistrate in the Children’s Court, The Australian reports.

“I felt so let down by the very system I work for … that was the hardest pill to swallow,” he said.

The officer was attacked while trying to restrain a shoplifter at Highpoint. Picture: George Salpigtidis

“I felt … that there was no justice for me.”

His wife, who is also a police officer, said the attack saw her husband’s face in every media outlet and used in a “political catfight” about African crime.

“(I) fear he will be confronted by an anguished community member,” she said.

“I am petrified he will be recognised off duty by the accused … if he is capable of assaulting an officer on duty, I’m petrified of what he will do to a police officer off duty.”

The officer said he hadn’t considered himself vulnerable to attack as he knelt to arrest the shoplifter in his uniform.

“You know not to assault a police officer,” he said in his victim impact statement.

“I was blindsided, defenceless … he cowardly kicked me when I was down to act out some sort of vengeance.”

The officer said he couldn’t accept his attacker’s letter of apology.

“You’re not sorry for kicking me,” the man said.

“You’re just sorry for being caught.”

The police officer’s wife broke down in tears as she read her victim impact statement and described hearing of the assault on the police radio.

“I couldn’t help but fear the worst,” she said.

“I thought our lives had altered forever.”

She said being a police officer was her husband’s childhood dream and the injury was half a centimetre away from ending that dream.

The youth was on probation at the time of the offending for a string of offences including six counts of aggravated burglary, six counts of theft of a motor vehicle and three counts of attempted aggravated burglary.

He is currently facing charges of affray from last month and armed robbery from December.

The youth’s barrister said children’s court cases were dealt with under a different philosophy to adults with rehabilitation of the young offender the main concern in sentencing.

“This is serious offending, nevertheless a whole different approach is taken to it,” the barrister said.

“(The youth) reacted in a wrong, improper and illegal way and he’s to be punished.”

Judge Michael O’Connell adjourned the case until next month and requested a pre-sentencing report for the youth which would also assess his suitability for detention.