Man beaten unconscious in racial attack

The Age

Steve Lillebuen

June 22,2015

 

A 33-year-old man has been beaten unconscious - twice - during a late-night attack in front of stunned onlookers.

The man, originally from Kenya, had been trying to ignore a group of three men who began following him, shouting racial abuse as he left a Chapel Street nightclub.

But the group continued taunting him until he was finally set upon in a Prahran car park just after 3am on Sunday.

 

Shocked onlookers near the car park, on the corner of Princes Close and Little Chapel Street, rushed to help the man while the three attackers fled.

The man suffered such severe facial injuries that he's been unable to tell police exactly what happened.

But Detective Senior Constable Katie Johnston said the entire attack has been captured on CCTV cameras.

"We've seen it and it's disgusting, to be honest," she said.

"This one is particularly sickening. Very brutal. And the fact that he's been rendered unconscious, twice, in a matter of 30 seconds is just disgusting."

She said the three men were much larger than the man, who remains in The Alfred hospital in a serious but stable condition.

"He didn't physically stand any chance," she said. "He was just sticking up for himself and it's ended up with himself in hospital."

Two of the men were Caucasian in appearance while the third man was perceived to be of Islander appearance with short, black dreadlocks.

Police have released images of the men taken from CCTV footage of the area, as well as images of three others who were in the area and may be able to help in the investigation.

Anyone who witnessed the attack or has information is asked to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.