A 17-year-old from Brisbane and an 18-year-old from Ipswich who respectively filmed and appeared in a five minute video documenting the abhorrent racial vilification of a Queensland train guard have overnight been charged with a number of offences, including two counts each creating a nuisance on a railway, as well as assault occasioning bodily harm and threatening violence, common assault and using a carriage service to menace or harass. Next stop: prison.
The severity of the October 2nd incident – which has been condemned by both all those who are of sound mind and Prime Minister Tony Abbott alike – only came to widespread public attention over the weekend after the teen who filmed the vile altercation inexplicably uploaded the video to social media. Queensland Police assistant commission Alistair Dawson noted that its gravitas was only made apparent to police late Saturday night and has made an appeal for further witnesses to the incident to come forward. Dawson told AAP reporters that they also expect to consult with the Department of Justice to investigate the potential for further charges of racial vilification.
The 18-year-old, widely identified in the media and on his own social media channels as Kader Boumzar, handed himself into police on Sunday. Both parties will appear in the Brisbane Magistrates Court later today to face and hopefully feel the full brunt of the charges that have been levelled against them.
The Courier Mail add that Boumzar could face jail time with a maximum sentence of seven years.
Good riddance.
UPDATE 2:57 PM
Despite condemning his behaviour as “disgusting and appalling”, a Brisbane magistrate has granted Boumzar (full name: Abdel-Kader Russell-Bouzmar) bail under strict conditions, despite opposition from the police prosector and what would appear to be the consensus of the general public. Per The Australian, magistrate Brownwyn Springer noted that “He’s still carrying on like a child so he’ll be treated like one.”
Boumzar has been forbidden from entering Queensland Rail property and must now be under the supervision of a parent at all times, except when he’s at work as an apprentice mechanic and when he appears in court. The Australian’s report concludes that a disease test will also be conducted on Boumzar “after he allegedly spat on his victim during the assault.”
The matter has been adjourned.
via AAP
