Lawyer losing faith in justice system after teens accused of savage attacks granted bail

McLean told 9News he was suffering significant psychological damage since the alleged attack and held concerns about "rampant" crime in the region.

A lawyer has revealed he is losing faith in the justice system after two teenagers who allegedly carried out sickening attacks on him and two other men in regional Victoria were charged and released on bail.

Isaac McLean, a 28-year-old Bendigo solicitor, sustained serious injuries, including multiple facial fractures and bruising, after a group of young men allegedly assaulted him in Bendigo's CBD in the early hours of February 9.

Footage allegedly shows a group repeatedly kicking, hitting and punching the lawyer as he was pushed to the ground on Bull Street.

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McLean's friend, a 28-year-old primary school teacher, was also sent to hospital with fractured discs in his back, allegedly sustained during the incident.

McLean claims the assault was triggered after he made a comment to his friend about a member of the group wearing sunglasses at night.

"I just turned to one of them and, you know, my intention was just 'hey, look, sorry about whatever I said, let's just sort of de-escalate this whole situation'," McLean said.

"Before I even really got the sentence out, I was just getting punched in the face multiple times and that just repeated for a significant amount of time."

Police allege the group fled the scene before another man was approached at the intersection of Queen and Mitchell streets and allegedly assaulted him around 1.45am.

That 32-year-old Bendigo man was also taken to hospital.

A 16-year-old boy from Bendigo and an 18-year-old man from Kangaroo Flat were arrested yesterday over the alleged February 9 attacks.

They were each charged with more than a dozen offences including affray, unlawful assault and intentionally causing injury.

The 18-year-old was bailed to appear at Bendigo Law Courts on June 6.

The 16-year-old was bailed to appear at a children's court at a later date.

The investigation remains ongoing, and police anticipate further arrests.

Traumatised locals fire up over 'rampant' crime

McLean told 9News he was suffering significant psychological damage since the alleged attack and held concerns about "rampant" crime in the region.

"It affects my sleep, it affects my ability to do and enjoy things in life again.

"I'd say I definitely would have battled with quite a severe depressive episode after the incident.

"It can be quite psychologically consuming."

McLean said the volume of assaults that have occurred in Bendigo since he was attacked was "borderline ridiculous".

"I don't believe that Bendigo is a safe town anymore," McLean said.

"This is my home, this is where I grew up and it doesn't feel safe to me.

"The level of violent crime in Bendigo specifically is at a level that I've never known of or experienced in my life."

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Earlier this week protesters staged a protest outside Premier Jacinta's Bendigo East electoral office, calling for tougher bail laws.

Protesters held up handwritten signs saying "bail laws need to change" and "youth crime do the time" as they walked through the city centre from Premier Jacinta Allan's electoral office and towards the law courts precinct.

Rally leader Tanya Mallia, a victim of a home invasion, shared that she has been left traumatised after being held at knifepoint inside her home.

"We want to make a change because our children are our future. We are sick of looking over our shoulders, Jacinta Allan needs to hear us now and something needs to be done," Mallia said.

"Our children are turning into perpetrators of crime and something needs to change now.

"Jacinta Allan please don't wipe this under the mat, we need to be heard now. We want action taken immediately. Do something now, we need to be safe."

The protest comes a week after nine teenagers were filmed allegedly punching, kicking and dragging a security guard at Bendigo Marketplace.

Police said the guard was set upon after he had asked the youths to leave the centre.

'Complete lack of respect'

The Allan Government yesterday announced sweeping reforms which would give Victoria the "toughest bail laws" in the country.

The proposed laws will introduce tougher bail laws for serious and high-risk crime, including serious gun and arson offences, and other knife and weapon offences like machete violence.

The changes will also see the first Tough Bail Bill introduced, which will create a new test to target repeat offenders.

Jail will no longer be treated as a last resort for youth offenders who commit serious crimes.

McLean said he did not feel safe with his alleged attackers on bail.

"Whether they respect bail laws or not, they clearly didn't have respect for The Crimes Act when they committed the assault," McLean said.

"There's a feeling that there's a complete lack of respect for the law at the moment.

"As a lawyer personally I am starting to lose my personal faith about whether the institutions that we have in the state are working."

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