Mother of a police officer bashed in a Queenscliff pub brawl says the justice system has failed her son
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The family of a Geelong policeman who told a court he thought he was going to die after being attacked in a pub brawl say he has been let down by the justice system.
Senior Constable Richard Peers was attacked when he attended a fight at the Queenscliff Brewhouse in August last year.
His family say he his still suffering following the incident, and feels the Office of Public Prosecutions (OPP) has abandoned him.
Glenn Main, 60, has been fined $5000 for his part in the attack, which left Mr Peers with a torn shoulder and concussion, and the OPP has decided it will not follow through with an appeal.
Sandra Peers, Richard Peers’ mother, said her son is “still quite traumatised” about the attack.
“When the initial conviction was announced, that the guy was having a fine of only $5000, we were quite relieved when we heard the police were planning to make an appeal,” she told 3AW’s Neil Mitchell.
“But apparently the OPP decided that it wasn’t in the public interest for them to follow through with the appeal.”
Ms Peers said she’s worried the light punishment meted out to her son’s attacker will encourage further violence against police.
“If there’s no deterrent, these situations just get worse,” she said.
“Obviously something needs to be done to stop the attacks on police, otherwise what’s going to happen? Somebody is going to get killed.
“These people who are hell-bent, whether it’s because of alcohol or whether they just dislike the police, they need to have something of a deterrent.
“I’m sure if they knew they were going to get locked up for six months or whatever it would make them think twice about attacking policemen.”
Mr Peers’ mother said he feels the system has failed him.
“I think he feels let down more than anything,” she said.
“His colleagues have been very supportive but I think he feels let down by the system.
“He’s been mentally traumatised about this.”
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