'Abandoned': Staggering new details in stabbing of Wallabies legend
Alarming new details have emerged around the frightening alleged home invasion that saw Wallabies great Toutai Kefu rushed to hospital with stab wounds.
Kefu was reported to be in a serious condition after police say he was stabbed in the stomach when confronting a group of three males who had allegedly broken into his home in the Brisbane suburb of Coorparoo in the early hours of Monday morning.
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The 47-year-old and three members of his family received knife wounds after three males allegedly broke into their home around 3 am. All four family members were taken to a nearby hospital for treatment.
Kefu is reported to be in a serious condition with abdominal injuries but is expected to make a recovery.
Police have charged one 15-year-old Goodba boy with four counts of attempted murder, three counts of assault causing grievous bodily harm and one count each of unlawful use of a motor vehicle, break and enter, burglary and deprivation of liberty.
In a worrying development, the Queensland Police Union (QPU) claims “mismanagement” from local authorities left the local community "abandoned" with regard to a police presence over the weekend.
QPU president Ian Leavers told News Corp the concerning situation meant there were no police patrols in the area over the weekend.
"To make matters worse, when the Coorparoo Police night shift called in sick last night (Sunday night) before the start of the shift, they were not replaced," Leavers said.
“With this sort of mismanagement, it’s clear the residents of Coorparoo were abandoned and left to fend for themselves over the weekend.
“I’m not saying a visible policing presence as was supposed to have occurred would have stopped (what) we saw last night. However, it just may have.
“To have had no police patrol presence at all there over the weekend is inexcusable and was just a recipe for disaster.”
Police are continuing investigations into the alleged incident after taking two males into custody, with another understood to be on the run.
Detective Superintendent Tony Fleming said Queensland Police officers were confronted with a 'brutal and violent' scene when they arrived at Kefu's home at roughly 3:15am.
“The information police received that people unknown to the family had entered the house and people had been stabbed,” Supt Fleming said.
“I understand the residents of the house woke to noises inside the house and one of the adults went to investigate those noises.
“I understand that person was accosted by at least one of the offenders in the premises and threatened to be stabbed if they didn’t hand over vehicle keys."
Toutai Kefu expected to make recovery
Supt. Fleming said that while Kefu's injuries were serious, he was expected to survive.
Kefu is the coach of the Tongan national rugby team, following a glittering career with the Wallabies and in Super rugby.
He earned 60 caps for Australia and was a key figure in both the 1999 Rugby World Cup triumph as well as the 2001 Bledisloe Cup victory.
Kefu also played more than 100 games for the Queensland Reds.
News of the injuries to Kefu rocked the Australian sporting community, with Rugby Australia CEO Andy Marinos among those to send their support.
“It was shocking news to receive. Toutai is a titan of our game – a warrior on the field and off it,” Mr Marinos said.
“To the Kefu family – the Australian rugby community is here for you. We also want to extend that support to others affected as well.
“The rugby family is a close-knit one and we always rally around each other when another is in need.”
with agencies
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