AN 87-year-old man who beat off an intruder with his shoe says he'll be ready if his attacker ever returns to his home. Semi-retired horse trainer Johnny Oswin was attacked by a man wielding a metal bar at his home at Mt Eliza, south of Melbourne, about 9pm (AEST) yesterday. Mr Oswin suffered cuts and bruises to his head and arms. "If he comes back, I'll do him up. I'll be ready for him next time," he said. "I didn't expect anybody to come in wanting to do me up, did I? I'll fix him up if he comes in, I'll use my fists on him next time, I'm pretty handy." In a strange twist, Mr Oswin said the intruder demanded to know about a man named Bert, a front-end loader and the location where Bert had buried his sister Cathy. "They've got the wrong bloke," Mr Oswin said. Police would not comment on the claim. The attacker struck Mr Oswin several times on the head and right arm before Mr Oswin hit back with his shoe. "I took the bloody shoe off and thumped him," Mr Oswin said. "I probably broke his nose and broke his teeth and he fell over. By this time he got up and I thumped him again. He ran out the door and he said 'I'll get you, I'll come back to get you'. He was a bit determined."
Detective Sergeant Rob Clark of Mornington police, urged home invasion victims not to fight back if confronted. "Obviously it's a vicious attack on an elderly man in his own home," he said. "We don't recommend people to confront assailants."
| "We'd much rather they just stand there and let the punks beat them to death. Murder investigations are so much more interesting..." |