Police have charged a teenage man over the alleged assault of a man who was left for dead at Dee Why last month.
Shortly after 11.00pm Friday, 29 May, NSW Police and NSW Ambulance responded to a Triple Zero (000) call reporting a man found bashed at James Meehan Reserve near the corner of Clyde Road, Dee Why and Richmond Avenue.
The 47-year-old man lives in a nearby unit block and had come into the park to ask several youths who were gathered there to turn down the volume on their partying. The man was allegedly set upon by the group who severely beat him and stole personal items, including a mobile phone and shoes.
The man was subsequently identified as ‘Nick’ by his partner, who asked to remain anonymous out of fear of reprisals from the group. She made a heartfelt plea to the community, asking for people to come forward as he lay in Royal North Shore Hospital on life support in the wake of the brutal bashing.
Responding to an outpouring of community concern, politicians including Manly MP James Griffin and Northern Beaches Council Independent Narrabeen Ward Councillor Vincent De Luca OAM (image below) called for an urgent review into night-time safety at Dee Why.
“NSW Police need to get onto this quickly, our community expects justice. Locals are petrified to even take their dogs for a walk. We have an epidemic of gang crime that must be addressed,” said Cr De Luca.
A crime scene was established on the night of the alleged attack, with detectives and senior police responding to the scene to oversee the investigation.
Police were observed gathering forensic evidence from the scene, likely to include items the group had discarded which would contain evidence of individuals who could be placed at the park.
It is understood additional Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) evidence was also gathered from around the area, identifying youths who had been heading to and from the area of the bashing in the time frame it occurred.
At around 9.00pm last night (Sunday, 14 June), those inquiries led investigators to the home of an 18-year-old Dee Why man who is known to police. He was arrested and taken to Manly Police Station, where he was charged with:
- Reckless wounding — in company, under Section 35(3) of the NSW Crimes Act, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of ten years, with a typical non-parole period of four years
The man was refused bail to appear at Manly Local Court today (Monday, 15 June 2026).
The Northern Beaches Advocate spoke with Nick’s partner last week, who advised he was taken off life support and has regained consciousness, but remains in hospital.
Update 11.45am Monday, 15 June 2026:
The 18-year-old man from Dee Why appeared before Manly Local Court today, represented by a legal aid solicitor.
The matter was held over to be heard with another case that is already before the courts, to be heard on Wednesday, 24 June 2026 at Manly Local Court.
He did not apply for bail and was remanded in custody.
Images: Northern Beaches Advocate
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