Great grandmother Despina Politis breaks silence after brutal Nightcliff robbery

The 85-year-old great grandmother brutally robbed in Nightcliff last week has spoken publically about the ordeal for the first time. Read what happened.

The 85-year-old great-grandmother robbed by a teenager and two minors in Nightcliff on Wednesday said she was frightened to leave her home alone.

Despina Politis was knocked to the ground and her handbag stolen in the carpark at Nightcliff Sports Club on Wednesday afternoon.

In her first interview since the attack, the great-grandmother said she had little recollection of the incident and despite being conscious, she blacked-out for several hours after the attack.

“When I was walking in the street to go to the club, I saw a couple of kids that were close,” she said.

“They knocked me down, they pushed me down and then took my handbag.

“I called out for help and four people come from inside the club to help me and a man who knew my family came to see Poppy to tell her what happened to me. I couldn’t remember anything.”

Poppy Politis, one of Despina’s five daughters, wrote a letter to Chief Minister Natasha Fyles after the attack on her mother which she posted on social media blasting the Labor Government’s approach to fighting crime.

After the robbery the girls allegedly fled down a nearby street, and thanks to smartphone tracking, the handbag and purse were found in a house just minutes from the sports club, but credit cards, ID and about $60 cash had been taken.

Despina Poppy Politis

The older girl, 19, then allegedly tried to use a credit card and ID from Despina’s purse but an eagle-eyed BWS employee refused the sale because the identity didn’t match and police were contacted.

A valuable gold crucifix Despina’s has had for decades was returned along with the handbag.

Despina and her late husband Skevos had a number of businesses in Darwin from the 1950s onwards, most notably the Aralia Street supermarket, which they built and opened in 1978.

A mural on the wall outside the supermarket includes an image of the couple’s engagement photo.

Skevos arrived in Darwin in 1954 and Despina fashionably five years later on board the first Qantas flight into Darwin - the so-called Kangaroo Route - which included stops in Greece.

“Darwin had not too many people, but everybody lived like they were one family,” she said. “It was different, we never locked the doors. Never. If you had a party everybody would be there because there weren’t may people.”

Despina said alcohol was to blame for many of the problems currently hurting the NT.

“There’s no respect from the kids for the parents,” she said.

“Kids used to work, everybody used to work once and they were happy, but it doesn’t happen like that any more.”

She said she would stay in Darwin because her family was here, but would not forget the events of last week.

The Aralia Street, Nightcliff mural with Despina and Skevos’ engagemment photo.

“It won’t be the same,” she said.

“I’ll want my family with me when I go out again.”

Despina declined to be photographed for this story because she is afraid of retribution for speaking out.

A 19-year-old woman has been charged with robbery and bailed to appear in Wadeye Court on January 16.

The two children, believed to be aged around eight, are below the legal age for criminal prosecution in the NT.

Poppy said her Mum had been overwhelmed with messages of support but said the responsibility for making Darwin safer was with the government.

She also questioned the location of next month’s court hearing.

“Why on earth is this girl being judged in a court house not even in the same place that it happened,” she said.

“Is it so the public doesn’t hear about it? So we can’t submit a witness impact statement read? We want to see what happens but it’s all shooshed up again.

Nightlcliff Sport Club car park where the robbery took place. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

“It’s stolen her independence and she has anxiety now about going anywhere on her own. She has been independent and self reliant all her life and should be able to live out her days happy and be able to go out without fearing for her life.”

Opposition Leader Lia Finocchiaro, who contacted Despina’s family after news of the attack emerged, said violence in the NT had increased.

“In March after the death of Declan Laverty, Natasha Fyles said she wanted to ‘stop crime before it takes hold’,” Ms Finocchiaro said.

“Since then, crimes have become more frequent, more brutal, more brazen and committed by increasingly younger and younger offenders.

“On Friday, Joel Bowden said the alleged offenders in this attack were ‘kids who are acting out’. Not eating your vegetables is acting out, brutally attacking an elderly lady is not acting out, it is committing a serious life altering crime.

“Labor continues to downplay this horrendous level of violence, on their watch, it is shameful.”