By Ashleigh McMillan and Hannah Hammoud
A former Age photographer has died after he was allegedly assaulted by a freed immigration detainee in a Footscray mall last Sunday.
Footscray man Dominic O’Brien, 62, suffered critical injuries during the altercation near the corner of Nicholson and Paisley streets in the Footscray mall just before 10am on Sunday.
The scene in the Footscray mall on Sunday after the assault.Credit: Penny Stephens
He died from his injuries in hospital on Saturday morning.
O’Brien worked as a photographer for more than 35 years, with credits including The Age, AAP, Reuters, The Australian, Mushroom Records and Warner Records.
Friday Yokoju, 43, appeared in Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Monday charged with intentionally causing serious injury.
Former Age photographer Dominic O’Brien.Credit: Facebook
The court heard that Yokoju – whose shouting from the dock twice interrupted proceedings – was on bail at the time of the incident.
His lawyer requested that his client be urgently seen by a psychiatrist and said it was not his first time in custody.
The Age has confirmed that Yokoju was one of the immigration detainees released last November after a High Court ruling and was subject to electronic monitoring via an ankle bracelet.
Two sources with knowledge of the incident, who were not authorised to speak publicly, and a witness alleged Yokoju was stomping on O’Brien’s head when Australian Border Force officers arrived to update the accused’s ankle bracelet.
“The other guy kept stomping on the victim’s face and didn’t stop until the Australian Border Force happened to pass by and intervened,” the witness said.
Detectives at Footscray Mall last Sunday.Credit: Penny Stephens
The witness, who asked not to be identified because of the nature of the incident, said the two men had stopped by a gift shop to buy a lighter when they began to fight. He claimed a loud argument turned physical before O’Brien fell to the ground unconscious.
Leigh Henningham, O’Brien’s former boss and picture editor at The Age during the 1990s, remembered him as an excellent team player.
“He was a very nice guy. It was a very close-knit team that we had back in those days,” Henningham said.
“He was a great photographer, and he was one of the first people to embrace and master the skill of Photoshop, which was a big transition from darkroom analogue to a digital world.”
A photo taken by Dominic O’Brien of footballer Jason Akermanis performing a handstand at Brisbane’s grand final celebrations in 2002.Credit:
Henningham said he was saddened by the news of O’Brien’s death and that he had stayed in touch with him periodically over the years.
“He was very close to his family back in the day … it’s just a tragic event for everyone involved.”
A police spokeswoman said investigators would consider alternative charges following the results of a postmortem.
Yokoju has been remanded in custody and is to appear in the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on October 20.
Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or make a report online at www.crimestoppersvic.com.au
With Roy Ward, Alexander Darling and Natassia Chrysanthos
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