Kompromat
ADMINISTRATOR
- Joined
- May 3, 2009
- Messages
- 40,366
- Reaction score
- 416
- Country
- Location
'Punji-hunting' gang member walks free
Adrian Lowe
May 3, 2011
A young man who was part of a gang who went "Punji hunting" has walked from court after a judge said he had made "extraordinary efforts" at rehabilitation.
Ricky Petrusic, 19, of Hoppers Crossing, was one of a group of seven young men who attacked six Indian men in Melbourne's western suburbs in late 2009.
Petrusic drove his co-accused but did not participate in the robberies specifically.
Advertisement: Story continues below
He pleaded guilty in the County Court to two charges of robbery, three counts of attempted armed robbery, and one count of armed robbery.
In sentencing, Judge Liz Gaynor said although the group went "Punji hunting" she was satisfied that the attacks were not racially motivated but instead were the result of the group deciding Indians were soft targets for robbery.
Judge Gaynor said Petrusic's involvement was the result of him dropping out of Year 12 and associating with a negative peer group.
She said since the offending he had taken major steps towards rehabilitation, including psychological counselling, which she praised him for continuing even when he became severely distressed by it.
Judge Gaynor said she had never seen such impressive evidence for a defendant in her nine years on the bench.
The evidence for Petrusic came from three experienced witnesses - a psychiatrist, a juvenile correction officers and a Salvation Army youth worker.
All three witnesses spoke of Petrusic's progress in glowing terms and said that he would pose a minimal risk of reoffending.
Judge Gaynor said Petrusic had experienced extreme shame for his actions and understood the wrongfulness of them.
"You have demonstrated an extraordinary ability to change the behaviour that led to your offending," she said.
Judge Gaynor said it would be in the community's interest for Petrusic to serve his sentence in the community, which would allow him to continue his rehabilitation.
She sentenced him to three years' jail but wholly suspended the term for three years.
She also ordered Petrusic perform 150 hours of unpaid community work.
Judge Gaynor also ordered that Petrusic's car be disposed of by the prosecution saying the offences were very serious.
"He was providing the wheels and I'm afraid the wheels are no longer there," she said.
She told Petrusic: "I'm sorry about your car but that's the way the cookie crumbles".
Judge Gaynor reminded him that he could be "very, very proud" of himself in being so determined to rehabilitate.
'Punji-hunting' gang member walks free
** For those who don't know what "punji" means: Indians are called "punjis" in Australia , it started off with calling indian sikhs as "punjis" because they are from punjab apparently but now its a widely used term for all indians.
Adrian Lowe
May 3, 2011
A young man who was part of a gang who went "Punji hunting" has walked from court after a judge said he had made "extraordinary efforts" at rehabilitation.
Ricky Petrusic, 19, of Hoppers Crossing, was one of a group of seven young men who attacked six Indian men in Melbourne's western suburbs in late 2009.
Petrusic drove his co-accused but did not participate in the robberies specifically.
Advertisement: Story continues below
He pleaded guilty in the County Court to two charges of robbery, three counts of attempted armed robbery, and one count of armed robbery.
In sentencing, Judge Liz Gaynor said although the group went "Punji hunting" she was satisfied that the attacks were not racially motivated but instead were the result of the group deciding Indians were soft targets for robbery.
Judge Gaynor said Petrusic's involvement was the result of him dropping out of Year 12 and associating with a negative peer group.
She said since the offending he had taken major steps towards rehabilitation, including psychological counselling, which she praised him for continuing even when he became severely distressed by it.
Judge Gaynor said she had never seen such impressive evidence for a defendant in her nine years on the bench.
The evidence for Petrusic came from three experienced witnesses - a psychiatrist, a juvenile correction officers and a Salvation Army youth worker.
All three witnesses spoke of Petrusic's progress in glowing terms and said that he would pose a minimal risk of reoffending.
Judge Gaynor said Petrusic had experienced extreme shame for his actions and understood the wrongfulness of them.
"You have demonstrated an extraordinary ability to change the behaviour that led to your offending," she said.
Judge Gaynor said it would be in the community's interest for Petrusic to serve his sentence in the community, which would allow him to continue his rehabilitation.
She sentenced him to three years' jail but wholly suspended the term for three years.
She also ordered Petrusic perform 150 hours of unpaid community work.
Judge Gaynor also ordered that Petrusic's car be disposed of by the prosecution saying the offences were very serious.
"He was providing the wheels and I'm afraid the wheels are no longer there," she said.
She told Petrusic: "I'm sorry about your car but that's the way the cookie crumbles".
Judge Gaynor reminded him that he could be "very, very proud" of himself in being so determined to rehabilitate.
'Punji-hunting' gang member walks free
** For those who don't know what "punji" means: Indians are called "punjis" in Australia , it started off with calling indian sikhs as "punjis" because they are from punjab apparently but now its a widely used term for all indians.
