Vic: Police reopen old assault case after witness comes forward

AAP General News (Australia)
08-25-2006
Vic: Police reopen old assault case after witness comes forward

By Shelley Markham

MELBOURNE, Aug 25 AAP - Three years after a man was brutally bashed and left brain-damaged
in a stolen car in Melbourne, police have reopened the hunt for his attackers, armed with
new information.

Passers-by discovered a badly beaten and unconscious Maurice Nugnes, then aged 34,
in the back seat of a car in Lewis Street at Flemington about 10am on October 25, 2003.

Mr Nugnes, from Broadmeadows in Melbourne's north, was so badly beaten that he has
been left with permanent brain damage and has to be cared for by a relative.

Mr Nugnes had no recollection of the attack and had been unable to provide police with a motive.

Detective Sergeant Mick Flanagan from Moonee Ponds Crime Investigation Unit (CIU) said
a witness had contacted police in the past week and provided important information about
the case.

He said the witness had given them a detailed description of a man they believe drove
the car in which Mr Nugnes was left.

"We've had a witness come forward who was in the vicinity of the vehicle when it was
left at that location," Det Sgt Flanagan said.

"That person has provided us with a very good face image of a male person who was with
that vehicle and we believe drove that vehicle to that location," he said.

"We're hoping members of the public will know that person.

"We're also hopeful that the image will also lead us to the location of where this
(attack) occurred and allow us to locate the crime scene."

Det Sgt Flanagan said police believed Mr Nugnes was bashed with a blunt object at another
location and shoved inside the car, a 1978 yellow Valiant, before being driven to Flemington.

The car had been stolen from Dandenong the day before.

Mr Nugnes remained in the Royal Melbourne Hospital for several months after the attack
and has been unable to work.

"There was certainly an intention to kill him, from the viciousness of the assault,"

Det Sgt Flanagan said.

Police said they did not know why the witness had taken three years to come forward.

"It would have been very handy to have that person three years ago, whilst the case
was current," Det Sgt Flanagan said.

"A lot of things happen over people's lives and there may have been some issue at the
time that meant he didn't come forward."

The man police are looking for is caucasian, 180cm tall, with a solid build, brown
hair, olive skin and aged between 35 and 40.

AAP sam/ce/jt/bwl

KEYWORD: NUGNES (PIX AVAILABLE)

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