Hammer bash victim would 'do it again'

A Port Kennedy shop assistant bashed with a hammer while defending his store says he would have little hesitation confronting future attackers if he faced a similar situation.

Daniel Baines was working at Frav, a shop selling incense, confectionary and miscellaneous items, at 12.30am on Thursday when three men wearing balaclavas entered and approached the till.

Mr Baines struggled with two of the offenders, before being struck on the back of the head with the hammer. The trio then fled the Fielden Way store empty-handed.

The 24-year-old was taken to Rockingham General Hospital with head injuries and bruised ribs, but was later released.

Mr Baines said he acted to protect a female co-worker and would have no hesitation in confronting other attackers.

‘‘I’ll do it again for any one of my employees or co-workers,’’ he said.

‘‘I had an 18-year-old co-worker here as well, and so I had to think of that, too.

‘‘I’ve had that many cheers from customers and staff members.’’

Mr Baines said he had been called a ‘‘bloody idiot’’ for not letting the trio carry out their attempted robbery.

‘‘But in the mad rush, you just don’t think of that,’’ he said.

‘‘You just do what you need to do to get it done.

‘‘But, I’m definitely going to arm myself a bit better than just my fists (in the future).’’ Mr Baines recalled the struggle.

‘‘Three guys came running through the shop, tried coming around the back and I’d bailed them up before they could get anywhere near the back of the shop,’’ he said.

‘‘I had a bit of a grapple with two of the gentlemen, got hit in the back of the head, but once they realised they weren’t getting through me, they ran off.

‘‘It all happened quick, but I got at least one hammer hit to the back of my head and it’s split my head open.’’

It is second time the shop has been targeted by burglars in two weeks.

On May 28, offenders broke in and stole DVDs, confectionary, cigarettes and other items.

Store owner Nicole Neasmith said the shop had extended its trading hours in an attempt to prevent other incidents.

‘‘The shop went to 24-hours so it wouldn’t get broken into again and now they’ve done this,’’ Ms Neasmith said.

‘‘The poor girl that was working, she’s only 18 and it’s scared the hell out of her.

‘‘They came with a hammer and caused injury this time—it’s a lot more serious.’’

Anyone with information should call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.