Highpoint shopping centre police attacker sentence could be appealed

This is an exert from the Herald Sun 8, February 2018

POLICE will ask the Director of Public Prosecutions to consider appealing a sentence handed to a teen who kicked an officer’s face.

The Herald Sun yesterday revealed a children’s court had freed the 17-year-old on probation after he served less than a month in custody.

The officer was kicked Highpoint shopping centre while on all-fours restraining a shoplifter during Boxing Day sales.

Association secretary Wayne Gatt said the decision had failed to meet community expectations.

He said it was disappointing that a criminal conviction was not recorded against the teen.

“Our members will interpret this, unfortunately, as a message in relation to the seriousness of that offending. And that’s sad because this is serious,” Mr Gatt said.