https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13548627/mornington-peninsula-victoria-...20th June 2024.
He committed this offence of pushing the person off the pier while he was already bailed.
He walked out of court on Tuesday without a conviction.
A seaside Australian community has been left outraged over the sentence given to a teenager who pushed an elderly woman off a pier as a prank.
The boy was 14 when he pushed the woman off Mornington Pier, in Victoria, in January along with two mates, one of whom recorded video of the incident.
The stunt could have caused the woman - who could not swim - to drown if others had not jumped in to save her.
And now there is shock in the Mornington Peninsula community after the boy, who has since turned 15, walked out of court on Tuesday without a conviction.
He was instead given a diversion order, meaning he will undergo a mandatory program including counselling and education.
Chris Crewther, the state MP for Mornington and Victorian Opposition spokesman for justice and corrections, said it amounted to no more than a 'rap on the knuckles'.
'It was pretty shocking for me and most of the Mornington community at the time, that these three young people would just push an elderly person off the pier for no reason whatsoever,' he told 3AW radio.
'I was equally shocked, with our community, that basically he only got a rap on the knuckles.'
The boy was on bail at the time of the attack, but the court heard he was remorseful for what he did.
Mr Crewther, however, is sceptical about this claim.
'He said he was remorseful in court, but then he gave the finger to people outside of the court,' the MP said.
'There's really not much justice for victims, and continued fear, and when there's no consequences they just go on to commit more crimes.'