Scarborough beachfront knife attack: Young man could get away with slashing arm after victim refuses to speak

A young man could get away with a night-time knife attack at Scarborough just days after the introduction of WA’s strict new knife laws. Police confirmed Tuesday ahead of their flooding of streets for New Year’s Eve that the young male victim who had his arm slashed on the beachfront last week had not wanted to make a complaint. Scarborough police, who had been part of the weekend WA Police blitz that scanned more than 4500 people for dangerous weapons and charged 35, were called to the carpark north of the bar strip on Monday before 10pm after an assault report. They found, among a milling crowd of young people, the young man bleeding from the upper arm. Detectives sought witnesses to the attack while an ambulance took the injured man to hospital for treatment. A police spokesperson confirmed to The West Australian on Tuesday that the blade attack victim had not wanted to talk. “There was an initial report of an assault incident on the Monday night however the victim did not want to make a complaint, so I am unable to provide any further details,” he said. Police did confirm that detectives, who had been interviewing people about the attack, charged another young man with possessing a knife in an unrelated incident. “About 10.30pm a person approached detectives who were on patrol in the vicinity of the Scarborough beachfront,” the spokesperson said. “The detectives had reason to search the person, and it will be alleged a knife was located in his possession. “The knife was seized and the 21-year-old man was advised he would be charged by summons to appear in court at a later date in relation to the possession of the knife.” In the knife blitz that netted 35 people, police laid 70 charges and confiscated 21 weapons, including a machete, hammers, pocket knives and fixed-blade knives up to 20cm long.