September 4, 2010
A WITNESS to a brutal gang attack on the Frankston line says he was stunned by the ferocity and speed of the assault on a passenger who had complained about youths smoking on a train.
Student Chris Tagle, 19, said he was on the train heading to Frankston on Thursday night when the passenger told the six young men they should not be smoking. Mr Tagle said he had echoed the complaint to the youths, who then moved to the next carriage.
But as the 38-year-old Caulfield North man who had first spoken to the youths got off at Malvern station about 9.15pm, he was ambushed by the men.
Mr Tagle said he and other passengers watched in horror as the six kicked the man. ''We did not realise what was happening until it was too late,'' he said.
The man tried to barge through the pack but was brought to ground then punched and kicked to the head. The youths fled when four Metro ticket inspectors also on on the train came to the victim's aid. The man had cuts and bruises but did not need to be taken to hospital.
Police are investigating several recent gang attacks on the Frankston line. In June, a gang of youths went on a rampage at McKinnon station, throwing rocks, abusing passengers and leaving a man in hospital with head injuries.
Acting Superintendent Nigel Howard said CCTV footage of the assault would be used to find the attackers, believed to be aged between 17 and 22.
An Auditor-General's report in June showed that since 2005 there have been about 7000 incidents of crime a year on Melbourne's train system, about a quarter of them crimes against people. There was a spike in 2008 but this fell in 2009 after police efforts, the report said.
There was an average of just 33 offences per million passenger boardings in Melbourne, the report said, but there was a strong perception among train users there was a danger of assault at night.
State Opposition Leader Ted Baillieu said the latest attack was proof that his plan to employ 940 police protective service officers to man suburban stations after 6pm was justified. ''What happened is unacceptable,'' he said. ''Where there are protective services officers then the chances of what happened are next to none.''
Premier John Brumby said the ''thuggish'' attack had been captured on CCTV. ''This sort of behaviour is never excusable,'' he said.
More than 100 Metro station staff met yesterday to demand safer working conditions after an armed robbery at Melbourne Central last Saturday night. A man with a handgun held up a ticket office and escaped with about $400.
The Rail, Tram and Bus Union has demanded more staff at city loop stations. ''We want a safe workplace for our members and a safe transport system for the public,'' secretary Trevor Dobbyn said.
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I find it extraordinary that this level of attacks made on law abiding citizens is allowed to continue.
Do the math
"7000 incidents of crime a year on Melbourne's train system"
"a quarter of them crimes against people"
That's 7000 x 0.25 = 1750 crimes committed against people a year on Melbourne's trains.
1750 crimes against people over 365 days = almost 5 violent attacks a day
MORE MATH
"33 offences per million passenger boardings" with 1/4 of crimes being against persons (that's YOU by the way) 33 x 0.25 = 8.25 attacks per million passenger boardings
Your chances of winning Saturday Night Gold Lotto with a standard entry is 1 in 678,755
You have far more chance of being assaulted catching a Melbourne Train than you do winning Saturday Night Lotto.
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