Andrew Brien allegedly tried to kill two children with his ute in some sort of vigilante-inspired attack (based on a lie) that was clearly underpinned by racism.
One of the boys was hospitalised with collapsed lung, injuries to his arm, leg, ankle, sternum and multiple ribs.
The other child suffered concussion and injuries to his arm.
Last week, the two 12-year-old lads were riding their bicycle in Mildura.
Police say Brien drove his ute at speed and tried to run them over. When he missed, he came back and did it again. This time running into the bike and the boys.
One of the boys was stuck under the ute, which stopped when it hit a tree.
Footage shows him getting out of the car and stepping over the injured children without helping them.
He did call Triple Zero.
“I witnessed first-hand the physical and emotional impact this incident has had,” a member of one of the boy’s families said in a statement to media.
“I sat beside my young cousin at Mildura Base Hospital while he was in pain and frightened.
“My cousin told us that he did not understand why the man was allegedly chasing them.
“The boys were scared and their families have been left dealing with the emotional consequences of what occurred.”
After news emerged of the attacks, people on social media said the boys deserved it because they were involved in an earlier incident involving Brien’s partner’s business. This was an outright lie.
And even if they were, they did not deserve to be targeted by a violent man using his vehicle as a weapon.
“As an Aboriginal family, seeing racist and hateful comments surrounding an already distressing situation added another layer of hurt,” the relative said.
“This raises broader questions for me about whether victims and their families — particularly Aboriginal children and families — feel adequately protected, supported and heard throughout the justice process.”
Brien is charged with four counts of reckless conduct endangering life, as well as counts of dangerous driving causing serious injury, intentionally causing injury and driving in a dangerous manner.
He got bail despite the prosecutor saying he was ‘deadset on mowing those two children down’.
HE WAS ‘DEADSET ON MOWING TWO CHILDREN DOWN’. NOW HE’S ON BAIL
