A teenager, charged with attacking and robbing a 20-year-old Indian student, was granted conditional bail by an Australian court after it was told that the boy was assisting the police in the case.
The 16-year-old boy, who cannot be named, appeared briefly in the children’s court and was granted bail on the conditions he would not associate with co-accused and abide by a nightly curfew at home with his parents, who were in court, The Age newspaper reported.
His bail comes a day after a 17-year-old was remanded in custody in relation to the attack on Manrajwinder Singh, who remains in an induced coma in The Alfred hospital here.
Singh, who was in Australia to study accounts, was bashed up by eight persons perceived to be African appearance in Birrarung Marr near Princes Bridge, as he and two other friends waited for a train on last Sunday.
He suffered serious head injuries in the incident. The court heard that the 16-year-old, who is charged with intentionally causing serious injury and robbery, was the first of three boys arrested.
He had been helpful with the police. No details of his involvement in the attacks on the victim or whether he was part of a gang, were given in court.
The boy is scheduled to return to court later this month. Five other youths, including two brothers of the 17-year-old boy, are still wanted for questioning.