Teen free-for-all

By LILLY O’GORMAN
FIFTEEN police units were deployed in the normally peaceful Emerald and surrounds to control 300 teens in two separate incidents, including one where three injured bouncers were taken to hospital.
Police say social networking is to blame for an 18th birthday party in Lakeview Court, Emerald, spiralling out of control.
Police units from the city and Dandenong and the dog squad reinforced local units, with 30 police members needed to contain the rowdy party at 11.15pm.
Senior Sergeant Trevor Vondrasek of Pakenham police station said neighbours and residents made numerous calls to police with concerns about drunkenness, damage to property and anti-social behaviour.
Police believe the party spiralled out of control because it was posted on social media and Sen Sgt Vondrasek said the incident served as a warning about the dangers of advertising parties on the internet.
“Because of social media and word of mouth, even in a small country area things can balloon out of control,” he said.
“Parents need to be mindful.”
Sen Sgt Vondrasek said the party was shut down and many of the attendees left quietly and co-operated with police.
Two males were later arrested for drunkenness about 500 metres from the premises.
On the same night, just over an hour later, an attack on three security guards at a Clematis pub turned into a “free-for-all brawl”.
The injured guards were admitted to hospital, Detective Phil Jury from Pakenham police station said.
It began in the early hours of Sunday morning when a security guard working at Paradise Valley Hotel on Belgrave-Gembrook Road asked a man to leave due to his anti-social behaviour, he said.
The patron and his four friends then turned on the security guard, knocking him to the ground and kicking and hitting him.
Two other security guards tried to stop the attack, but were pushed to the ground and also assaulted.
Det Jury said that, once the men were eventually removed from the premises, they began randomly assaulting other patrons outside the hotel, the situation escalating into a “free for all brawl”.
Three security guards were taken to hospital, one with minor head injuries and a possible dislocated shoulder and the other two with minor grazing to their head and body.
Anyone with information about either incidences can contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.