These X-ray images show the leg of a chair embedded into the eye socket of a Melbourne teenager who miraculously survived a random attack outside a city nightclub earlier this year.
The images of teenager Shafique el-Fahkri at the Royal Melbourne Hospital were taken as a team of five surgeons prepared for the complex three-hour operation that would save his life and his eye.
After leaving intensive care, Mr Fahkri spent a month in hospital and today has 95 per cent of his sight back.
The former Xavier College student, now 20, said that his eye remained very blurry, his body was weak and his neck was stiff after the incident. "I feel all right at the moment, actually, but I am too weak for work," he said in a raspy voice, a consequence of the chair leg passing through his throat.
But he holds no grudges against 20-year-old Liam Peart, who yesterday pleaded guilty to a charge of negligently causing serious injury on January 21.
"I forgive him, totally," Mr Fahkri said, a sentiment confirmed by Peart's barrister Duncan Allen, SC, in the Melbourne Magistrates Court.
Police prosecutor Senior Constable Brooke Sheers also told the court Mr Fahkri declined to make a victim impact statement because he "bears no malice towards the defendant in relation to this incident". She said Mr Fahkri was injured after a brawl erupted outside the Metro nightclub in Bourke Street at 2.45am.
About 45 minutes later, with isolated assault incidents continuing, Peart picked up a metal-framed chair as he ran towards the nightclub.
Senior Constable Sheers said Peart raised the chair above his head and threw it at Mr Fahkri, who tried to protect himself by raising his hands.
The leg of the chair penetrated Mr Fahkri's left eye socket, moved his eyeball to the side and continued into his neck.
With the agreement of police, the charge was amended from recklessly to negligently causing serious injury, while four other charges were struck out.
Magistrate Peter Reardon agreed with Mr Allen that it was a miracle Mr Fahkri did not die.
Mr Allen described Peart, who had reacted to an assault on his younger brother by another person, as by nature responsible and considerate. He had apologised to Mr Fahkri and was ashamed by his offence, he said.
The hearing resumes on Monday.
http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/xray-reveals-marvel-of-teens-survival/2007/04/20/1176697045075.html
Reply With Quote
