<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>A lawyer has revealed he is losing faith in the justice system after two teenagers who allegedly carried out sickening attacks on him and two other men in regional Victoria have been charged and released on bail.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Isaac McLean, a 28-year-old Bendigo solicitor, sustained serious injuries, including multiple facial fractures and bruising, after a group of young men allegedly assaulted him in Bendigo's CBD in the early hours of February 9.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Footage allegedly shows a group repeatedly kicking, hitting and punching the lawyer as he was pushed to the ground on Bull Street.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/centrelink-indexation-millions-of-australians-to-receive-cash-boost-next-week/fffe4d02-59a7-4e5a-b605-d99eb3960e88" target="_blank"><strong><span>Millions of Australians to receive boost to Centrelink payments</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>McLean's friend, a 28-year-old primary school teacher, was also sent to hospital with fractured discs in his back, allegedly sustained during the incident.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>McLean claims the assault was triggered after he made a comment to his friend about a member of the group wearing sunglasses at night.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"I just turned to one of them and, you know, my intention was just 'hey, look, sorry about whatever I said, let's just sort of de-escalate this whole situation'," McLean said.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/lawyer-losing-faith-in-justice-system-after-teens-accused-of-savage-attacks-granted-bail/53425e0f-07ee-4b7a-9772-33e64e54d4e7" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Before I even really got the sentence out, I was just getting punched in the face multiple times and that just repeated for a significant amount of time."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Police allege the group fled the scene before another man was approached at the intersection of Queen and Mitchell streets and allegedly assaulted him around 1.45am.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>That 32-year-old Bendigo man was also taken to hospital.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>A 16-year-old boy from Bendigo and an 18-year-old man from Kangaroo Flat were arrested yesterday over the alleged February 9 attacks.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>They were each charged with more than a dozen offences including affray, unlawful assault and intentionally causing injury.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The 18-year-old was bailed to appear at Bendigo Law Courts on June 6.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The 16-year-old was bailed to appear at a children's court at a later date.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The investigation remains ongoing, and police anticipate further arrests.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><h3><span>Traumatised locals fire up over 'rampant' crime</span></h3></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>McLean told 9News he was suffering significant psychological damage since the alleged attack and held concerns about "rampant" crime in the region.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"It affects my sleep, it affects my ability to do and enjoy things in life again.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"I'd say I definitely would have battled with quite a severe depressive episode after the incident.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"It can be quite psychologically consuming."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>McLean said the volume of assaults that have occurred in Bendigo since he was attacked was "borderline ridiculous".</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"I don't believe that Bendigo is a safe town anymore," McLean said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"This is my home, this is where I grew up and it doesn't feel safe to me.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"The level of violent crime in Bendigo specifically is at a level that I've never known of or experienced in my life."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/man-sought-allegedly-stole-woolworths-delivery-from-womans-doorstep-adelaide/798c1502-44b3-4f48-94df-69b330568db9" target="_blank"><strong><span>Police investigating after video appears to show man stealing Woolies delivery off doorstep</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Earlier this week protesters staged a protest outside Premier Jacinta's Bendigo East electoral office, calling for tougher bail laws.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Protesters held up handwritten signs saying "bail laws need to change" and "youth crime do the time" as they walked through the city centre from Premier Jacinta Allan's electoral office and towards the law courts precinct.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Rally leader Tanya Mallia, a victim of a home invasion, shared that she has been left traumatised after being held at knifepoint inside her home.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"We want to make a change because our children are our future. We are sick of looking over our shoulders, Jacinta Allan needs to hear us now and something needs to be done," Mallia said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Our children are turning into perpetrators of crime and something needs to change now.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Jacinta Allan please don't wipe this under the mat, we need to be heard now. We want action taken immediately. Do something now, we need to be safe."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The protest comes a week after </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/bendigo-marketplace-brawl-victoria-hunt-for-nine-teens/e3d792c8-8d75-4827-b39b-201099a1ec28" target="_blank" title="nine teenagers were filmed allegedly punching, kicking and dragging a security guard"><span>nine teenagers were filmed allegedly punching, kicking and dragging a security guard</span></a><span> at Bendigo Marketplace.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Police said the guard was set upon after he had asked the youths to leave the centre.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><h2><span>'Complete lack of respect'</span></h2></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The Allan Government yesterday announced sweeping reforms which would give Victoria the "toughest bail laws" in the country.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The proposed laws will introduce tougher bail laws for serious and high-risk crime, including serious gun and arson offences, and other knife and weapon offences like machete violence.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The changes will also see the first Tough Bail Bill introduced, which will create a new test to target repeat offenders.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Jail will no longer be treated as a last resort for youth offenders who commit serious crimes.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>McLean said he did not feel safe with his alleged attackers on bail.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Whether they respect bail laws or not, they clearly didn't have respect for The Crimes Act when they committed the assault," McLean said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"There's a feeling that there's a complete lack of respect for the law at the moment.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"As a lawyer personally I am starting to lose my personal faith about whether the institutions that we have in the state are working."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/how-to-follow-9news-digital/29855bb1-ad3d-4c38-bc25-3cb52af1216f"><strong><span>DOWNLOAD THE 9NEWS APP</span></strong></a><strong><span>: Stay across all the latest in breaking news, sport, politics and the weather via our news app and get notifications sent straight to your smartphone. 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