Sally Dore from Boskruin writes:
After reading the article on Tony Gomes, I was rather stunned at how he was portrayed to be the victim of this incident. I live and work in the area and drive through the intersection where Gomes sits every day, about four times a day on average. Sadly he has sworn at me, hurled abuse when I was driving past on a number of occasions – all because I flatly refuse to give him money. I cannot list the number of times I have seen him violently drunk, passed out or obviously drinking from a bottle purchased at the liquor store in Boskruin Village. He is violent, abusive and a danger to anyone walking or driving past.
In one incident he screamed at me, and then noticed my son (aged 11 at the time), and swore at him calling him a k…r! I was incensed, I called the Honeydew Police Station, spoke to a detective who said I could lay a charge if I knew the man’s name failing which I was to park my car at the intersection and wait for them. I was told the response vehicle would take anywhere between two and four hours to get to me. I didn’t want to park my car there and wait as my son was upset and scared of being in the area. He begged me to find an alternate route to and from school.
Gomes has a prison history and it will not be long before his violent outbursts and fighting get him back into a cell. This is a dangerous and unpredictable person who is a violent drunk. Whilst I don’t applaud the security guard’s actions I find them completely understandable. I know how challenging it is to deal with someone who regularly hurls abuse at you simply because you refuse to part with your hard earned cash so that they can then drink it away.
I do not think it is fair to bring disciplinary action against the security guard, knowing that Gomes is not the innocent victim he claims to be.
Editor’s note: We received many similar letters and phone calls from readers who said the security guard was innocent.
