The man hailed as a hero for disarming a gunman at Bondi Beach last month now faces assault charges. Sources close to the case suggest the police have been under enormous pressure to act. But this feels different. This feels political.
The hero, 34-year-old construction worker Dave Simmons, ran towards the shooter when others fled. He pinned the man down until police arrived. His actions were celebrated. He was on breakfast television. Now he is staring down a criminal record.
Simmons has been charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm. The victim? The shooter. Yes, the same man who allegedly fired a sawn-off shotgun into a crowd of terrified tourists.
His lawyer says the charge is 'an outrage'. That Simmons used 'reasonable force to prevent serious harm'. But the Crown Prosecutors are arguing excessive force. They say three punches to the head after the man was on the ground went too far.
Here is the reality. In the heat of the moment, lines blur. Jurors will have to decide if a hero crossed into vigilante territory. This is a nightmare for the Premier. It divides his base. Law and order types back Simmons. Civil libertarians say the rule of law must be blind.
We have heard whispers that the Attorney General is watching closely. He could intervene. He could drop the charges. But that would look like political interference. So he stays silent. Letting the courts take the heat.
The broader picture is grim. Polls show a majority of Australians believe Simmons should not be charged. The public mood is volatile. If Simmons is convicted, expect a political firestorm. The opposition will run on a law and order platform. The government will be painted as out of touch.
Simmons is due in court next month. Until then, he is a free man. But the damage is done. His name is now associated with an assault charge. His hero status has been tarnished.
The question we should all be asking is not whether he used too much force. It is why the system is punishing a man who stepped up when others ran. That is the story that will unfold. And it is not a happy one for the political class.
