NEWS DESK
Sorrento students in gun drama SORRENTO Primary School was in damage control last week after the second incident involving offensive student behaviour. Angry parents contacted The News to say a grade three student had taken what they described as a BB gun to the school, threatened other students before allegedly pointing it at the head of a prep girl, and allegedly shooting another boy in the foot when he tried to take the gun away. The pellet did no damage and the boy was unharmed. This incident follows weekend mayhem when children from the school were accused of juming the fence of the Sorrento Early Learning Centre playground and “generally [getting] into mischief, throwing stuff around, removing bikes and riding them around the car park and using seats as Frisbees”. (See “Kids behav-
Classroom incident: A picture of the toy gun allegedly brought to school, as shown in the Herald Sun.
ing badly in broad daylight” The News 30/10/19). Principal Megan Dallas would not comment on the gun incident other than to say: “Earlier this week, an incident occurred at the school
involving a student bringing a toy plastic pellet gun to school. The item was immediately confiscated. “The school has taken appropriate disciplinary action following the incident.”
The Education Department’s Dave Sheridan later confirmed that the gun was a “toy that fires plastic pellets” and not a BB gun. The Herald Sun reported that the gun was a Cobra M206 model which can be bought overseas and online. The News contacted police who would not confirm or deny the make of the gun but said “[we]...can confirm it was a toy gun, not an imitation firearm or prohibited weapon.” The gun was handed in to Rosebud police station on Tuesday afternoon and was expected to be destroyed. Police said they would “not be taking any further action in relation to this incident”.
One angry parent, Charles, told Radio 3AW: “That gun was aimed at my child.” “We told the school, the people in the office there, that we won’t be coming back for a couple of days.” Charles said he was unhappy with how the school has dealt with the incident. “We’ve kept our child away but we haven’t had any contact from the school at all. It seems to be protecting the child who has done it.” Lucy, who has several grandchildren at the school, said the boy “kept [the gun] in his bag until lunch time and then he got it out and waved it around and was shooting people,” she said. “He held it to the head of a little prep girl. “The school didn’t call the police or anything, but the mother did later on.”
Arson probe on beach box blaze Stephen Taylor steve@mpnews.com.au A ROSEBUD family were left devastated when their cherished beach box was burnt to the ground taking many family treasures with it. Michelle Amoore said the beach box on the foreshore opposite First Avenue was totally destroyed in the deliberately-lit blaze, Friday 20 October. “We had put in new flooring and new doors, lounges, day beds and lots of personal items, such as 30-year-old pictures of the kids in hand-carved frames, but nothing could be salvaged,” she said. “It’s all gone; burnt to the ground.” The family is offering a reward for information leading to the arrest of those responsible. The fire brigade was alerted to the blaze by a homeless man sleeping on the foreshore. Ms Amoore said he told her next day he saw “some kids running off”. The family recalled seeing a “suspicious group of boys walk past and then circle back” while they were at the beach earlier in the day. “One took a long look inside,” Ms Amoore said. The family bought the older, original sandstone beach box for $94,000 only 18 months ago. “We had hoped
Devastated: Geoff and Michelle Amoore are offering a reward for information leading to the capture of those responsible for burning down their treasured beach box. Picture: Yanni
to salvage the bricks after the fire but the builder said forget it,” she said. Ms Amoore said it appeared petrol had been used as an accelerant, prompting the Arson Squad and Dog Squad to investigate. The family has already applied to the Department of Environment, Lands, Water and Planning for permission to rebuild. “We’ve just started the process,” she said. “We are scared if we rebuild it’s going to happen again.” Adding to the pain is the “rigmarole
that we have to go through, with one thing after another”. “Even a permit is costing around $1000.” Ms Amoore said she wanted to raise people’s awareness of the dangers. “I don’t want this happening to anyone else,” she said. “People should be aware.” Detective Senior Constable Darren Richards, of Somerville CIU, is urging anyone with information to call him on 5978 1400 or Crime Stoppers 1800 333 000.
Second box set alight POLICE are also investigating the burning down of a second beach box at Rosebud, 2.30pm, Wednesday 30 October. The cause of the blaze is not known. CFA crews donned hazmat gear when it was discovered the corrugated iron box was lined with weatherboard and asbestos sheeting. “This was an extra danger,” Rosebud CFA duty officer Greg Chapman said. “Our people had to wear
breathing apparatus and be totally washed down afterwards with their clothing bagged, tested and scrubbed to ensure no asbestos fibres remained.” The beach box contained a destroyed couch-bed, table, games and other items. The blaze took the fire fighters only about four minutes to extinguish. The damage bill is estimated at $60,000-$80,000.
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wholemedicine.com.au Southern Peninsula News
6 November 2019
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