Mac attack

By Alison Noonan
CHRISTMAS celebrations ended in bloodshed for a group of local cricketers after they were brutally bashed in Cranbourne early on Sunday morning.
Five of eight Merinda Park Cricket Club players involved in the incident were taken to hospital suffering severe head injuries and broken bones after they were set upon by a group of up to 20 men and teenagers outside McDonald’s on the South Gippsland Highway.
The cricketers had wandered down to the 24-hour McDonald’s – which had closed earlier on the advice of police – for a meal after leaving the club’s end-of-year break-up about 3am.
A victim, who does not wish to be named for fear of retribution, said the scene that ensued was one of absolute carnage.
He said he watched in horror as his friends were bashed unconscious and their heads kicked and stomped upon as they lay helpless on the ground.
“We were standing outside McDonald’s because it was closed when a big group of Islanders and Maoris came up to us,” he said.
“No-one said anything that could warrant what they did next.
“Three of my mates were knocked unconscious and repeatedly kicked in the head.”
The victim said he managed to drag one of his friends away and called 000 before being punched and kicked in the face.
“They saw my mate trying to call the ambulance first and they knocked him down and booted him in the head,” he said.
“Then they saw me while I was checking my friend’s breathing.
“I got hit while I was on the phone to the ambulance and they knocked my two front teeth out.”
The victim said he feared his friend was dead as he lay unconscious in the car park.
“I put my hands over his nose and mouth and he wasn’t breathing,” he said.
“I started panicking because I thought he was dead. It didn’t seem to bother them how hurt everyone was. They just kept going.”
Four of the players were rushed to hospital by ambulance with their injuries including three broken jaws, a broken nose, compressed cheekbone, eye-socket damage and bruising to the brain.
Two remain in hospital awaiting surgery.
One player was later taken to hospital by his family.
The victim described the attack as ‘barbaric’ and vowed never to return to McDonald’s at night.
“I thought it was a safe place but the security guards did nothing.
“They locked themselves inside and wouldn’t let us in, despite our pleas for help,” he said.
“Now everyone’s Christmas has been ruined. The whole thing was just a massacre and something I never want to see again.”
Managing director of Auswatch Security, the firm contracted to carry out security at McDonald’s Cranbourne, Jeff Hargreaves said his employees were ordered by McDonald’s management to stay inside during the incident.
Mr Hargreaves said security guards were employed at the store to ensure the safety of staff and the building and not to act as “crowd controllers”.
“It is not our job to act as bouncers and we are not there to get involved in gang fights,” he said.
“Our staff did not lock themselves inside. They did go out to render assistance.”
Cranbourne Criminal Investigation Unit Detective Acting Sergeant Peter Carroll said police were interviewing several people in relation to the incident.
“Police are investigating three separate incidents that occurred outside McDonald’s on Saturday night, which we believe involved the same group,” he said.
“We are appealing for any witnesses to contact police.”
McDonald’s Family Restaurant public affairs manager Sarah Sammartino said the business closed early on Sunday morning on the advice of police.
Police met with management at McDonald’s Cranbourne yesterday (Wednesday) to discuss the incident.