A 12-YEAR-OLD girl has been praised for her bravery by local police after she wrestled a young boy who stabbed a bus driver in Australind on Monday.
A 13-year-old boy faced Bunbury Children’s Court yesterday after he allegedly stabbed the 69-year-old female driver in the chest about 8am on March 30.
South West Detectives Senior Sergeant Dom Blackshaw said the boy had been a passenger on the bus when it pulled over to pick up a group of people on Mardo Avenue in Australind.
He allegedly walked past the driver and then spun around and thrust the knife into her chest.
Senior Sergeant Blackshaw said it was fortunate the knife was “not conducive to stabbing” as it was a large machete-type weapon with a long thick blade, which meant the driver’s injuries were not severe.
He said a 12-year-old female student came to the victim’s rescue, forcing the knife away from the boy and pushing him into the dashboard of the bus.
The boy was then held until police arrived on the scene shortly after.
The driver received lacerations to her chest and hand and was taken to Bunbury Regional Hospital for treatment, but was able to return home on Monday.
“It was very brave of the young girl to take action and I’m sure the bus driver is wondering what she did to deserve the attack,” Senior Sergeant Blackshaw said.
The boy was charged with acts intended to harm or endanger the life or safety of another person.
In court yesterday, duty lawyer Derek Hunter applied for the boy to be assessed by a mental health liaison officer.
Magistrate Dianne Scaddan ordered the boy be kept in custody and sent to the Banksia Hill Detention Centre to be assessed by a medical professional.
Information obtained from the assessment could be presented in the Perth Children’s Court on Thursday.
