Beloved grandfather, 50, left brain-dead with just hours to live after being ‘stomped on and beaten with baseball bats’ by gang outside his home on Christmas Day
- A 50-year-old man was allegedly bashed outside his house on Christmas Day
- Anthony Clark is on life support machines following the alleged attack
- His stepdaughter said machines will be turned off after family flies from Ireland
- Brother-in-law said gang of 10-15 ‘African guys’ set upon the family
A 50-year-old grandfather who was allegedly bashed with baseball bats outside his home in a Christmas Day dispute with neighbours will have his life support switched off.
Anthony Clark, 50, was allegedly ‘thrown around like a rag doll’, stomped on and hit with bats in the street outside his home at Moorolbark in Melbourne’s outer eastern suburbs shortly before 11pm.
His wife was also knocked out in their driveway and Mr Clark’s stepdaughter Jessikah Clark said he was ‘pretty much gone’.
‘We have lost the best man in our whole lives,’ she told the Herald Sun.
‘No-one should have to die on Christmas Day just for looking after his wife and kids.’
The man’s family was scheduled to arrive from Ireland on Sunday.
The violence began as the family were saying their farewells on the street and fireworks were let off, causing a dog to bark and the owners to get angry, Jessikah Clarke said.
‘They had bats…they smashed my car and they threw mum around like a rag doll.’
Anthony Clark, 50, was allegedly ‘thrown around like a ragdoll’, stomped on and hit with baseball bats in the street outside his home before 11pm
The alleged attack happened outside a house in Morrolbark (pictured is the victim’s house) at 11pm on Christmas Day
Mr Clark was allegedly confronted by a large group of men during the massive brawl.
His wife and 25-year-old stepdaughter were also allegedly attacked, his brother-in-law Mark told 3AW.
‘He’s a gentle giant, and he was brutally, and I mean, savagely, attacked,’ he said.
‘A whole gang of African guys, ranging from teenage to mid-20s, approximately 10-15 of them with cars and baseball bats, attacked him, knocked my sister out.’
Mark said he believed his brother-in-law was trying to shield his baby during the brutal attack.
‘They knocked my sister out, and had my niece – from what I understand – by the hair,’ he told 3AW.
The man was repeatedly bashed in the head and was taken to hospital in a critical condition and placed in intensive care.
The family said there was no hope of recovery and his life-support will be turned off.
His wife suffered minor injuries and has been by his side at the hospital ever since.
An 18-year-old man was arrested but was later released.
‘The exact circumstances surrounding the incident are yet to be established and an investigation is ongoing,’ police said.
A 54-year-old man is ‘brain dead’ and clinging onto life after he was bashed in a horror gang attack in Melbourne (file picture)