School bullying linked to vicious Bayview assault

UPDATE: Police drove home two teenagers after they had viciously assaulted the mother of a schoolmate at Bayview Marina. WATCH THE VIDEO

SATURDAY UPDATE: SIX days after a woman was attacked – and a day after the NT News posted CCTV vision of the incident – police have issued a statement confirming an assault at Bayview Marina last Sunday

The incident happened when two teenage girls allegedly trespassed on to the Marina and tried to attack a schoolmate before her mother intervened to protect her daughter.

The video shows the woman being repeatedly punched, struck with a mobile phone and a sharp-edged crushed aluminium can, and spat on in the vicious and sustained attack.

Opposition Leader Lia Finocchiaro said weak laws were leaving police exposed.

“This is yet another example of Labor failing Territorians and proof the Gunner government continues to put the rights of offenders above the rights of community safety,” Ms Finocchiaro said.

“Labor’s priorities are all wrong. Weak laws leave police with little choice in how they respond – Labor has handcuffed police instead of handcuffing criminals.”

The victim, Karen Orchard, who has since moved to Queensland, had a large clump of hair ripped from her scalp, suffered a black eye and a broken finger that would require surgery.

Her husband, Sam Henger, said instead of addressing the incident with the teenagers, police drove them home to their parents.

Territory Duty Superintendent Drew Slape confirmed the April 3 incident: “The youths were left in the care of responsible adults and are assisting police with inquiries.”

 Investigations continue.

FRIDAY REPORT: POLICE drove home two teenagers after they had viciously assaulted the mother of a schoolmate at Bayview Marina, the victim’s family has claimed.

After the two teenagers allegedly trespassed onto the marina last Sunday, they viciously assaulted Karen Orchard after illegally boarding the boat where they lived as her children hid on board.

The attack, captured on CCTV, went for close to 30 minutes during which Ms Orchard was hit with a mobile telephone, a crushed can and was left with a broken finger, a black-eye and had a large chunk of hair pulled from her scalp.

She was kicked and spat on and is suffering extensive head injuries due to being hit with a crushed can and mobile phone.

Her broken finger will require surgery and she had to have her wedding and engagement rings cut off before it could be treated by doctors.

CCTV of a vicious fight at the Bayview marina. Picture: Supplied

Her husband Sam Henger, who was working in Queensland but was phoned by Ms Orchard during the assault, said the youths involved in the attack had not been questioned by police after the incident.

“Police drove them home,” he said.

“The last time I checked the police hadn’t even taken the CCTV vision of the assault. When I asked an officer how they were going to protect my family from another attack he responded there was nothing police can do.

“What they could have done was interview the children with the parents present and laid charges for a brutal assault on my wife.

“They wanted to get to my oldest daughter and when she stopped them entering the boat they threatened to attack our youngest daughter, who is nine.”

A thread linked to the attack showing one of the girl’s boasting about assaulting Ms Orchard has appeared on social media.

When Mr Henger spoke with police at Darwin police station they said they would send Ms Orchard a link onto which she could load the video footage but the email still hasn’t arrived.

Police have not responded to questions about the assault.

The family say that despite informing a staff member at a Darwin Middle School of their eldest daughter being bullied, the school failed to act.

“The school was made aware of bullying and didn’t act and then they came to my daughter’s place to attack her.

“These are vicious kids who have attacked my wife and they are just allowed to walk around.

“What have they had taken from them? She’s had her hair ripped out, her wedding rings removed, her finger broken and now faces surgery. It’s psychologically devastating for her and these kids are allowed to still walk around.

“Where’s the justice? They’re sitting at home and the kids don’t want to touch them because they’re minors.

“The psychological fall-out won’t leave Karen. Where are the charges for this?”

The Education Department has denied the school failed to respond to bullying saying the school had no record of alleged bullying against the former student.

“There is no record of allegations of bullying against the former student at Darwin Middle School,” a spokeswoman said.

“However, in light of these most recent allegations the school will continue to work with families involved to engage the students back in school and in positive behaviour programs which explicitly addresses bullying and harassment.”

The family, which was already planning to relocate to Queensland, fast-tracked the move after the assault.

“How could my wife and children feel safe?” Mr Henger said. “These kids had broken into the boat once and what’s to stop them doing that again.

“These students shouldn’t be reintroduced in a positive behaviour program. They should be expelled from school and prosecuted for assault. If she’s introdcued into the school it’s only a matter of time before she assaults somebody else. The older student prides herself on violence. How can she be allowed to go to school there?

“This started at school and it followed my daughter home. It was reported to the school, they did not act and as a result Karen was put in hospital and it was lucky the kids weren’t assaulted too.

“They’re dangerous and there’s no changing that type of behaviour. Those students should be suspended from school pending investigation because those students are dangerous. What’s to say they won’t go out and attack other parents.”