Vic: Man charged with manslaughter over bag snatch incident

AAP General News (Australia)
04-29-2004
Vic: Man charged with manslaughter over bag snatch incident

By Jamie Duncan and Bianca Wordley

MELBOURNE, April 29 AAP - A devastated Melbourne man has spoken of his enduring love
for his wife of 56 years who died early today from her injuries after she was thrown to
the ground in a brazen bag snatch.

"You can tell everybody she was the best girl in the world, the best," Walter Bloomfield
said after the senseless death of his frail 77-year-old wife Beryl.

"The moment we met, I told her I would marry her," he said today.

"We were only together half a dozen weeks before we got married.

"We've had a wonderful life."

Mrs Bloomfield of suburban Mooroolbark was thrown to the ground and her handbag containing
$1,100 stolen as she walked along Mt Dandenong Road, Croydon about 2.15pm (AEST) yesterday.

She suffered head and internal injuries and was taken to St Vincent's Hospital, where
she died early today.

Mr Bloomfield described his wife as "a very old 77" and said she had been diagnosed with cancer.

He said Mrs Bloomfield was returning from a monthly Probus Club meeting - a social
network for retirees - when she was attacked.

"She used to make that walk once a month," Mr Bloomfield said.

"This is bloody dreadful ... we've had a wonderful life."

Mr Bloomfield said he and his wife did not have children, but spent 33 years in a small
business in Canberra before settling in Mooroolbark 12 years ago.

A 34-year-old Melbourne man, Phillip James Flower, today appeared in Melbourne Magistrates
Court over the bag snatch, with the charges against him upgraded to include manslaughter
after Mrs Bloomfield's death.

Flower faced a number of charges, including recklessly causing serious injury and one
count of robbery as well as manslaughter.

Magistrate Peter Lauritsen suppressed Flower's address, and remanded him to reappear
in the court on August 19.

Flower's lawyer, Jenny Clark, told the court her client was on a program of methadone and valium.

No application for bail was made.

Mrs Bloomfield was the second elderly woman crime victim to die in Melbourne this month.

In a separate incident, an intruder allegedly broke into the West Brunswick home of
80-year-old Muriel Hill on April 6, causing her to suffer a fatal heart attack.

A 16-year-old girl was charged with aggravated burglary and possessing a drug of dependence
over the West Brunswick incident.

The attacks on the elderly women have triggered an angry response from crime victim
and pensioner advocate groups.

Crime Victims Support Association president Noel McNamara said many elderly people
were injured or traumatised in similar attacks.

"They get their hips broken and get slung around, and then the criminals get to the
justice system and they get a slap on the wrist," Mr McNamara said.

Combined Pensioners and Superannuants Association spokesman Stan Smith said it was
hard to protect the elderly from crime and called for more police patrols and tougher
sentences to deter crimes against the elderly.

"This woman was walking in the street, so I don't know how you avoid it," Mr Smith said.

"People should be able to walk the streets."

Meanwhile, Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Christine Nixon today condemned the alleged
attack on Mrs Bloomfield.

"It's a sadness to see an elderly lady harmed in that way," she told reporters.

But Ms Nixon said the attack should not make elderly people too scared to leave their homes.

"Elderly people should not feel afraid," she said.

AAP bw/gfr/apm/bwl

KEYWORD: SNATCH NIGHTLEAD

2004 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.