Vic: Advocates call for tougher sentences after bag snatch death

AAP General News (Australia)
04-29-2004
Vic: Advocates call for tougher sentences after bag snatch death

(Eds note: Since transmission of previous stories ke SNATCH, a magistrate has suppressed
the address of the accused, Phillip James Flower. The address is not included in this
version and should not be used from previous versions.)



There've been calls for tougher criminal sentencing after the deaths of two elderly
Melbourne women who were crime victims this month.

BERYL BLOOMFIELD, who was 77, died early today at St Vincent's Hospital after she was
badly injured in a bag snatch in Croydon yesterday.

Police have charged a 34-year-old man, PHILLIP JAMES FLOWER, with robbery and recklessly
causing serious injury.

He appeared in Melbourne Magistrates Court today, where charges against him were upgraded
to include manslaughter.

In a separate incident, an intruder allegedly broke into the West Brunswick home of
80-year-old MURIEL HILL on April the 6th, causing her to suffer a fatal heart attack.

Crime Victims Support Association president NOEL MCNAMARA says many elderly people
have been injured or traumatised in similar attacks, and tougher sentences are needed.

AAP RTV jrd/gfr/rp

KEYWORD: SNATCH (MELBOURNE)

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