NEIGHBOURS rushed to help when they heard a woman’s screams coming from bushland near Rosebud Tennis Club, 9.45pm, Saturday 13 February.

One resident, who asked not to be named, said he and others cautiously made their way towards the screams and found her with injuries requiring hospital treatment. Her alleged attacker was still on the scene.

Leading Senior Constable Adam West, of police media, said Rosebud police initially received a call for a “woman yelling” in Hove Road, but as all units were tied up with other jobs, they had no one to send.

After a second call of an “assault in progress” at 10.15pm a scratch-crew was put together and police arrived within about seven minutes.

A man was arrested and the woman taken by ambulance to Frankston Hospital with minor injuries. She was later allowed to leave.

Police say the pair know each other and although the woman chose not to press charges, they are “looking into the matter”. The man was released pending further inquiries.

Cr Antonella Celi said she had spoken with neighbours about the incident and would “escalate their concerns” about the need for improved safety measures in the area with Mornington Peninsula Shire officers and police.

“VicPol have been asked to assess the situation to see what can be done about improving community safety there,” she said.

“This may include installing CCTV or wire mesh fencing; we are looking at all options.”

Cr Celi said the community “needs VicPol’s support in this”. “We are counting on them to help improve community safety,” she said.

“We need active policing in the area to reduce the number of these incidents. The community expects that there will be an adequate police presence.”

Rosebud Tennis Club former president Greg Collins said the club had contacted the shire and the police since the attack and was “open to ideas” on improving security. “Nothing has been suggested as yet but we are happy to talk,” he said.

First published in the Southern Peninsula News – 2 March 2021