The wife of a man charged with allegedly assaulting a teenage boy claimed the teen had bullied their daughter for more than six months – and ‘enough is enough’.
Brisbane man Mark Bladen, 53, allegedly confronted the boy at a Brisbane skate park on Saturday.
Footage appears to show the seasoned firefighter and former Army technician grab the teenager by the throat and then scuffle with his three of his mates.
But Mr Bladen has been hailed as hero for taking a stand by some punters – and his wife Jennifer has shed light on the family’s awful ordeal.
Accused Mark Bladen was standing up for his step-daughter. Wife Jennifer on right
This is the shocking moment a father allegedly attacked a 14-year-old boy who its claimed had bullied his stepdaughter
‘These bullies need to be stopped,’ Ms Bladen told Daily Mail Australia.
‘My daughter has been bullied by this particular individual since September last year.
‘She is now scared and anxious of going to school.
‘We have brushed it off thinking it would stop but now enough is enough.
‘Kids are committing suicide because of this and it’s not on.
‘So we are now as a family standing up to them.’
Many punters have written comments supportive of the father – one even calling on him to become Australian of the Year
Footage appears to show the father grab the boy by a throat and then push him on to his back.
The boy’s friends then intervene, shouting ‘Get the f*** off him, get off him!’
‘We are now as a family standing up to (the bullies),’ said Jennifer Bladen
Mr Bladen will face Brisbane Magistrates Court on March 20
Ms Bladen said she is calling on the community to act against bullying.
‘I’m going to make sure with the support of our community that we get these bullies,’ she said.
‘I can’t imagine life without my daughter.’
She said her message for the public was harsher penalties need to be enforced in schools.
Ms Bladen also said there should be government regulations to stop bullies.
‘Why should the innocent kids commit suicide and let the bullies get away.
‘Not on,’ she said.
Bullying has been a topic of national conversation since the suicide of Northern Territory teen Amy ‘Dolly’ Everett in January
She declined to comment on Mr Bladen’s charge as it is before the courts.
As did Queensland Fire and Emergency Services (QFES), with a spokeswoman only saying the agency was aware of the incident ‘involving a member of the workforce’.
Mr Bladen will face Brisbane Magistrate’s Court on March 20.
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