Three people who tried desperately to fend off a random, violent attack by a drug-crazed 17-year-old youth in Palmerston in 2019 have all been awarded bravery medals by the Governor-General, David Hurley.
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One of the medal recipients, Richard Cater, died afterward as result of injuries received in the incident.
The late Mr Cater, together with companions who declined to be identified, had arrived home in their car to Tamborine Close, Palmerston around 10.15pm on March 15.
Mr Cater, 83, was a rear seat passenger in the car when the youth, whom the court was later told was affected by an LSD-fuelled psychosis and was roaming around the streets of Palmerston at the time, made a frenzied attack on all the occupants without warning.
Stripped to the waist, the offender firstly punched the front seat passenger and driver repeatedly.
Mr Cater attempted to jam the assailant's legs in the car door but he was then set upon, punched and kicked to the ground, where he struck his head on the concrete gutter.
The assailant then stomped on his head.
One of the victims managed to find a spade to use as a weapon and struck the youth on the head.
The assailant was regaining consciousness and attempting to flee when police arrived.
Such was the extent of the offender's psychosis that after police tackled him down, they used a full canister of oleoresin capsicum spray on him but to little or no effect.
Five police officers had to physically restrain him until ambulance officers arrived and eventually sedated him.
The boy was later charged with a raft of serious offences including murder, threats to kill, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, assault occasioning grievous bodily harm and obstruction of a territory official.
He was initially sentenced to 15 years imprisonment for the offences. However, a later appeal found the original judgement was in error. The offender was released in September last year.
Mr Cater did not regain consciousness and died 11 days after the attack in hospital.
A commendation for brave conduct was also made to Katrina Lovelock, of Harrison, for her actions during a violent home invasion in Bonython in 1999.
She had struck out and helped subdue two knife-wielding offenders who had held herself, her partner and two friends hostage for several hours.
