A father of three broke the jaw of a 17-year-old allegedly armed with a machete after confronting him inside his parents' gated home in Port Melbourne, leaving himself with a fractured hand.
Daniel Shoppee, 38, said he was alerted to the intruder by a 'blood-curdling scream' from his mother at about 5.30am on Wednesday. The teenager, reportedly carrying a machete, was attempting to force entry into the dwelling.
Confrontation and arrest
Mr Shoppee and his father rushed to challenge the suspected trespasser. During the struggle, Mr Shoppee sustained a fractured hand while the teenager suffered a broken jaw. Officers arrived shortly after and detained the teenager at the scene.
The teenager was subsequently charged with attempted aggravated burglary and possession of a prohibited weapon, according to reports in the Daily Mail.
Family ordeal
Mr Shoppee's parents, both in their 60s, had noticed a car loitering outside their residence. When they went outside to investigate, the vehicle had departed. His mother then spotted a second individual positioned within the property's gate.
The family had been staying with Mr Shoppee's parents while their own home was undergoing renovation works. The alleged intruder had been released from a 49-day sentence just a week prior to the incident.
Calls for change
Speaking to the Herald Sun, Mr Shoppee said: "People might say he's only 17 but he was a big guy and he was carrying a massive machete. It doesn't matter what age someone is when they're coming at you with a machete at 5.30am."
He told 7News that the teenager was "raising this machete above his head, screaming at us, 'I won't hurt you if you open the gate'". The family no longer felt secure enough to walk to their local supermarket.
Mr Shoppee said: "We're at such a poor level in Victoria where families can't feel safe in their own home. We're not asking for something remarkable here, we just want to feel safe. There has to be a change."
He thanked the responding officers who "are doing their best" to cope with rising crime in Melbourne, though he observed they appeared "deflated". He urged the government to overhaul youth crime legislation in favour of tougher sentences.
The alleged intruder will remain in custody until his appearance before a children's court at a future date.
