WA Police do internal review after teens who bashed a couple unconscious in Clarkson let off with cautions

WA’s top cop has issued an apology over the handling of a couple who were bashed unconscious by a group of teenagers, admitting the attackers were merely given cautions. Craig and his wife Shelly were set upon about 500m from their home in Clarkson on Saturday, July 24, while walking through a park on the way back from a pub. A group of youths surrounded the pair and without provocation kicked and punched them to the ground — with Shelly needing to be resuscitated. Acting WA Police Commissioner Col Blanch revealed today that the offenders were issued with a caution and conceded that officers could have better liaised with the victims. “I’ve asked for that (decision) to be reviewed,” he told 6PR. “I’ll wait for that review about why that decision was made but I understand it may have related to the criminal history of those young offenders. “One of our priorities is victim care, victim communication, keeping them up to date and we absolutely could’ve done better on this, so I’ll take that responsibility.” Mr Blanch said he had also met with the Assistant Commissioner and the Joondalup District to make sure the ordeal “is not repeated”. “Ultimately, I have extreme empathy and sympathy for Craig and his wife, so I would like some more answers internally,” he said. “I don’t want to be too hard on the officers across the board because I know the excellent work that they do day-in and day-out on these offences.” It comes as several teenagers have been charged for a spate of violent and unprovoked attacks in Perth’s CBD. Among them was a 15-year-old boy charged for bashing young soccer player Danny Hodgson at the Perth train station on September 4, leaving the 25-year-old fighting for his life. A mother-of-three was also seriously injured injured after being “gang attacked” by a group of juveniles — including a 12-year-old girl — in Yagan Square on August 29. Mr Blanch said police were aware of the issue, deploying an extra 100 officers on the Northbridge and Perth beats to combat the violence.