A baker has spoken of the moment he alleges he was attacked by a tradie over nothing more than a parking dispute.
David Winter, who runs the Bread Street Bakery in Mont Albert in Melbourne’s south east, said he was left on the footpath bleeding after he was felled by a worker on the Victorian Government level crossing removal project.
And he has CCTV footage and a nasty scar to prove it.
“It’s fortunate I didn’t fall on my head but my shoulders,” he told Channel 9’s A Current Affair.
The violent outburst is just the most severe consequence of the controversial construction project which traders say could lead scores of small businesses to close in Mont Albert and neighbouring Surrey Hills.
The aftermath of David Winter’s headbutting with another tradie coming to its aid. Picture: Channel 9/ ACA.
The government is eliminating two level crossings, sinking the existing railway line below street level and building a brand new station. A process that could take several years.
“I’m absolutely 100 per cent behind the project, but the way that it’s conducted and the way that they are allowing a section of the community to be destroyed by it is unacceptable to me,” said 68-year-old Mr Winter.
“So we fight.”
Although the baker, who’s worked in the same spot for 45 years, got more fight that he thought.
Mr Winter said a parking dispute led to the claimed attack. Picture: Channel 9/ ACA.
At issue is the disruption caused by the construction including closed roads, snarled streets, reduced foot traffic and fewer parking spots.
Local small businesses also claim tradies are taking what few spots there are for customers with their own vehicles.
Local businesses have said trade has plummeted due to the ongoing construction work which is causing tensions. Picture: Channel 9/ ACA.
Mr Winter said his takings are down 25 per cent and he is propping the business up with his superannuation. Others says almost half their customers have vanished.
So he decided to confront the issue head on by approaching one of the vehicles.
“I put a sign on his window which said ‘please do not park here, this is for the shoppers only’
“Those car parks are important for us in our business.”
The bakery’s CCTV footage shows the baker and tradie squaring up. Picture: Channel 9/ ACA.
Mr Winter then goes flying. Picture: Channel 9/ ACA.
CCTV footage picked up the an ensuing incident. Mr Winter can be seen outside his shop talking to a construction worker.
“He got up really close to me and swore at me,” he said.
The two go eye-to-eye and then the baker is head butted and falls down to the ground.
The alleged attacker scarpers while another tradie, who was in the bakery at the time, comes to Mr Winter’s aid.
“It shouldn’t have happened in the first place because he shouldn’t have been there.”
Mr Winter said he intends to press charges. Channel 9 said the construction worker was no longer working on the project.
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