ID :
184919
Fri, 05/27/2011 - 15:12
Auther :
Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/184919
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Sydney teen on life support after brawl
A Sydney teenager is on life support after being hit by a moving train as he tried to restrain another youth who allegedly attacked a railway station worker during a brawl.
The youths both hit the side of the train and were hurled back onto the platform during the fight at Cabramatta railway station, in Sydney's west, on Thursday night.
The 18-year-old from Merrylands suffered severe head injuries and broken bones.
A fight between the 18-year-old and another man, aged 19, escalated when a City Rail employee tried to break up the fracas.
The 19-year-old allegedly hit the rail worker, prompting the younger teenager to wrestle with his assailant, Cabramatta Police said.
"The 18-year-old man in an effort to restrain or wrestle the... 19-year-old man, had subsequently travelled backwards a number of metres on the platform and into an oncoming city-bound train," local area commander Detective Superintendent Joe Cassar told AAP on Friday.
He said the two were flung "with a significant degree of force" back onto the platform.
The unconscious 18-year-old man was taken to Liverpool Hospital.
He remains in a critical condition, a hospital spokeswoman said.
Det Supt Cassar said it was possible he might not wake up.
"Certainly he was unconscious and the latest report from the hospital is he was in a serious condition," he said.
The 19-year-old suffered minor injuries and was later arrested.
He has been charged with affray and assaulting the City Rail worker, and was conditionally bailed to appear at Liverpool Local Court on June 17.
The City Rail worker suffered minor injuries.
Rail, Tram and Bus Union state secretary Alex Claassens called on City Rail to employ more transit officers with security training so station managers won't have to intervene in brawls.
"My guys are saying: `If there had been more security officers, they might have been able to prevent this'," he told AAP on Friday.
The union argues the City Rail network needs another 300 transit officers, who can arrive at tense situations quickly either by car or train.
"Obviously, it's a concern for us when a railway worker is assaulted in the course of their duties," he said.
"It's a real concern for the union that assaults are on the rise... it would be really good if the new government strengthened laws against people who perpetuate crimes on the transport network."
The Cabramatta brawl occurred only a day after 16-year-old Brandon Sia'a was stabbed to death at Bankstown station.
A 22-year-old Bankstown man, Mosa Julius Mbele, has been charged with his murder.
But Det Supt Cassar said the Cabramatta fight was not related to the Bankstown brawl and had no link to any gang activity.
"It's my understanding the two have some degree of history between each other," he said.
Police, who are reviewing closed-circuit television footage of the brawl, praised the quick actions of bystanders at Cabramatta station.
The youths both hit the side of the train and were hurled back onto the platform during the fight at Cabramatta railway station, in Sydney's west, on Thursday night.
The 18-year-old from Merrylands suffered severe head injuries and broken bones.
A fight between the 18-year-old and another man, aged 19, escalated when a City Rail employee tried to break up the fracas.
The 19-year-old allegedly hit the rail worker, prompting the younger teenager to wrestle with his assailant, Cabramatta Police said.
"The 18-year-old man in an effort to restrain or wrestle the... 19-year-old man, had subsequently travelled backwards a number of metres on the platform and into an oncoming city-bound train," local area commander Detective Superintendent Joe Cassar told AAP on Friday.
He said the two were flung "with a significant degree of force" back onto the platform.
The unconscious 18-year-old man was taken to Liverpool Hospital.
He remains in a critical condition, a hospital spokeswoman said.
Det Supt Cassar said it was possible he might not wake up.
"Certainly he was unconscious and the latest report from the hospital is he was in a serious condition," he said.
The 19-year-old suffered minor injuries and was later arrested.
He has been charged with affray and assaulting the City Rail worker, and was conditionally bailed to appear at Liverpool Local Court on June 17.
The City Rail worker suffered minor injuries.
Rail, Tram and Bus Union state secretary Alex Claassens called on City Rail to employ more transit officers with security training so station managers won't have to intervene in brawls.
"My guys are saying: `If there had been more security officers, they might have been able to prevent this'," he told AAP on Friday.
The union argues the City Rail network needs another 300 transit officers, who can arrive at tense situations quickly either by car or train.
"Obviously, it's a concern for us when a railway worker is assaulted in the course of their duties," he said.
"It's a real concern for the union that assaults are on the rise... it would be really good if the new government strengthened laws against people who perpetuate crimes on the transport network."
The Cabramatta brawl occurred only a day after 16-year-old Brandon Sia'a was stabbed to death at Bankstown station.
A 22-year-old Bankstown man, Mosa Julius Mbele, has been charged with his murder.
But Det Supt Cassar said the Cabramatta fight was not related to the Bankstown brawl and had no link to any gang activity.
"It's my understanding the two have some degree of history between each other," he said.
Police, who are reviewing closed-circuit television footage of the brawl, praised the quick actions of bystanders at Cabramatta station.
