A prominent Indian-origin doctor who was bashed so violently his skull could be heard cracking is stunned over a ruling allowing his New Zealand attacker to remain in Australia.
Dr Mukesh Haikerwal said that the decision by Immigration Minsiter Scott Morrison sends a 'very poor' message that his attacker Sean Gabriel will be allowed to live in Australia despite the attack.
According to news.com.au, Morrison ruled Gabriel did not pass the character test and decided to cancel his visa in October for his part in the 2008 attack and robbery on Dr Mukesh Haikerwal and four others.
The 25-year-old has successfully appealed to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal, which directed his visa remain in place, despite finding his crimes were 'very serious'.
He said he supported Morrison's decision, and worried that decisions were being made in the interests of criminals rather than their victims, the report added.
Gabriel and three others were on the Williamstown beachfront when they bashed the former Australian Medical Association president at random.
He was threatened with a knife before Gabriel held him down and two others repeatedly bashed him with a baseball bat so hard his skull audibly cracked.
Dr Haikerwal suffered a severe brain injury, blood clots in the brain and had to be put into a medically induced coma to save his life.
