A teenage boy who was attacked by his classmate’s father in a skate park in Brisbane, Australia says he suffers nightmares and is being bullied following the incident.
The 14-year-old boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, said: “I have been extremely distressed by this whole saga and cry at night from the repeat nightmares I have of this man’s face strangling me,” according to the Daily Mail.
The teenager was strangled by father Mark Bladen in March and in a statement released by his lawyer says he has been bullied himself since footage of the attack was released.
According to the Daily Mail article, the boy admitted to calling Mr Bladen’s step-daughter “King Kong,” but said it was only in retaliation for “disgusting” insults towards his mother posted on Snapchat.
“I am only 14 years old and my grades are suffering at school from this whole experience and I am trying to deal with living my life without this on the go. It is horrid.”
Mr Bladen told 60 Minutes he was “not proud” of his actions but said he got the “job done” after hearing that his daughter was “scared and anxious of going to school” after the alleged bullying.
His step-daughter, who claims she was called a “Gorilla” and “King Kong” and given shaving cream for Christmas, is no longer being bullied.
When asked what triggered the attack, Mr Bladen said his daughter had rang him in tears and said that the boy was at the skate park, so he wanted to talk to him.
“I walked with purpose, had an aggressive demeanor,” Mr Bladen said.
Mr Bladen, 53, pleaded guilty in Brisbane Magistrates Court to choking the boy, according to the article. Mr Bladen held the boy around the throat until he began to lose consciousness, the court heard.
He was charged with one count of assault occasioning bodily harm, later telling police he was “aghast” at his behavior and apologizing to his victim outside court.
Bullying is something that can affect children’s lives on a daily basis but how we deal with it as a parent is crucial in setting the right example. Please share this story as an important lesson to others.
