Police seek witness to serious Hamelin Bay assault on elderly man

Police want help to find the attacker of an elderly man who was beaten so badly he had to be flown to Perth to have treatment on injuries to his eye. The attack on the 68-year-old man was outside the shower block at the Hamelin Bay holiday park between 9pm and 9.30pm on Thursday, December 28. The victim was sitting on the railings by the shower block when an unknown man exited the shower block and verbally accosted the victim before punching him in the face. The park caretaker assisted the victim in the immediate aftermath of the attack, after which the victim’s son drove the victim to Augusta Hospital. The assault caused significant injuries to the victim’s left eye, and from Augusta Hospital the victim was transferred first to Busselton, and then flown to Perth. The patient was discharged from hospital on New Year’s Eve, and after a brief stay at home, returned to the park. The victim of the assault who wishes to remain anonymous has spoken about his experience at the park, where he has been taking his family annually for about 30 years. The family had only been at the camp for a few hours when the attack took place. “We had pulled in and set up camp, and got everyone settled down, so I went for a shower,” he said. “While waiting for my shower I was shouted at from one of the showers. “The gentleman in there started to abuse me, he accused me of being a paedophile and said I was peeking through the gap in the door.” After his shower the elderly victim dried off and went outside and soon after his attacker emerged and pushed him backwards, causing him to fall heavily and then repeatedly punched him to the face. The victim was keen to praise the police, and the medical staff who had been involved in treating his injuries. “I’ve been very impressed with the vigour with which the police have approached this,” he said. At this stage, it is uncertain if the victim will require surgery to correct the double vision that he is living with since the attack. Park manager Melissa Lay was very disturbed by this incident. “We run a lovely family holiday park, we are very trusting here, I don’t want to change the character of the park, but we are now considering CCTV,” she said. Detectives urge anyone with information in relation to this incident to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or report online via www.crimestopperswa.com.au.