Melbourne:
Terming the street crime against Indians as "cowardly" and "despicable", a Victorian court today handed out long imprisonment sentences to attackers of an Indian origin doctor.
A state county court judge, Joe Gullaci, today jailed 20-year-old Alfer Azzopardi who bashed Mukesh Haikerwal with a baseball bat, for 18-and-a-half years with a minimum of 13-and-a-half years, media reports said.
Haikerwal, the former chief of Australian Medical Association, was walking through a park in the bayside suburb of Williamstown on September 27 last year when he was set upon and bashed by the men.
Another co-accused Michael Baltatzis, 20, of Glenroy, who together with Azzopardi took part in 23 armed robberies over a two-month period, was jailed for 16-and-a-half years and must serve 10-and-a-half years before being eligible for parole.
A third man, Sean Gabriel, 20, of Hoppers Crossing, was jailed for nine years and nine months with a minimum of six years, reports said.
Announcing the sentences, Judge Gullaci dubbed the attacks as cowardly and despicable.
"Each of the victims was selected at random, but each had a common feature, that is they were vulnerable and alone and in parks or (other) public places," he was quoted by an AAP report.
Hailing the long jail term awarded to three attackers, the Indian community in Australia said this would serve as a lesson to those indulging in senseless attacks.
While the victim, Mukesh Haikerwal said he takes no comfort in the lengthy jail terms handed to assailants but remembers the timely help provided to him by medical professionals.
Haikerwal, who was bashed unconscious by three men last year said: "I take no comfort that my assailants have been sentenced to jail terms."
He said he still speaks slower than he used to and will forever bear a scar on his head and the ordeal had affected him greatly.
"If I didn't have the luxury of two fully trained medical professionals (who came to his aid after the attack), my brother a cardiologist and my wife a GP ... I would not be standing here today," Haikerwal said.
Haikerwal was bashed as he walked through a Williamstown park in September last year.
Also read: Overseas dreams turn sour
A state county court judge, Joe Gullaci, today jailed 20-year-old Alfer Azzopardi who bashed Mukesh Haikerwal with a baseball bat, for 18-and-a-half years with a minimum of 13-and-a-half years, media reports said.
Haikerwal, the former chief of Australian Medical Association, was walking through a park in the bayside suburb of Williamstown on September 27 last year when he was set upon and bashed by the men.
Another co-accused Michael Baltatzis, 20, of Glenroy, who together with Azzopardi took part in 23 armed robberies over a two-month period, was jailed for 16-and-a-half years and must serve 10-and-a-half years before being eligible for parole.
A third man, Sean Gabriel, 20, of Hoppers Crossing, was jailed for nine years and nine months with a minimum of six years, reports said.
Announcing the sentences, Judge Gullaci dubbed the attacks as cowardly and despicable.
"Each of the victims was selected at random, but each had a common feature, that is they were vulnerable and alone and in parks or (other) public places," he was quoted by an AAP report.
Hailing the long jail term awarded to three attackers, the Indian community in Australia said this would serve as a lesson to those indulging in senseless attacks.
While the victim, Mukesh Haikerwal said he takes no comfort in the lengthy jail terms handed to assailants but remembers the timely help provided to him by medical professionals.
Haikerwal, who was bashed unconscious by three men last year said: "I take no comfort that my assailants have been sentenced to jail terms."
He said he still speaks slower than he used to and will forever bear a scar on his head and the ordeal had affected him greatly.
"If I didn't have the luxury of two fully trained medical professionals (who came to his aid after the attack), my brother a cardiologist and my wife a GP ... I would not be standing here today," Haikerwal said.
Haikerwal was bashed as he walked through a Williamstown park in September last year.
Also read: Overseas dreams turn sour
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