Scots College Bashing The Australian 13 April 2006

WEDNESDAY 13 APRIL:

John Stapleton

Elizabeth Gosch

A STUDENT from up-market Sydney private school Scots College is fighting for his life in hospital after he and two of his mates were bashed with an iron bar by a group of men in nearby Double Bay on Tuesday night.

Two men _ an 18-year-old from Rushcutters Bay and an 18-year-old from Stanmore _ have been charged over the attack which left two of the schoolboys in a serious condition in hospital and the third with minor injuries.

The Scots College students _ reported as being close friends Hugh Gordon, Richard Vatner and Sebastian Kesby _ are in Year 12 and are believed to have been celebrating the end of pre-trial HSC exams.

Seventeen year old Hugh Gordon suffered a fractured skull in the attack and underwent major life-saving neuro-surgery yesterday at St Vincents Hospital before being transferred to a specialist unit at Concord Hospital. He was in a critical condition yesterday afternoon.

His 16-year-old friend Richard Vatner, who had part of his skull crushed, also underwent surgery yesterday. A St Vincents Hospital spokesman described his condition as stable.

Sebastian Kesby, also 16, suffered minor injuries but was not taken to hospital.

Last night, Rose Bay Police said they had charged two men over the assault.

``Both men were questioned by police and were each charged with two counts of maliciously inflict grievous bodily harm and one count of assault occasioning actual bodily harm,'' police said.

Bail was refused for both men and they will appear in Sydney's Central Local Court today.

Earlier in the day police said they were baffled by the cause of the attack.

Rose Bay crime manager Detective Inspector Grant Taylor described the attack as vicious and said police could find no motive for the assault on the three local schoolboys.

He said it is believed the assault occurred when a verbal altercation spiralled out of control.

``It's hard to say why this attack took place, it was a vicious attack that appears to be unprovoked,'' Det Insp Taylor said.

``The offenders had no regard for the victims, hitting them with a metal object about the head.''