A female health employee at Moree District Hospital has spoken to Moree Online News about being assaulted by five youths when leaving work last Thursday afternoon.

At around 5.20pm on Thursday, April 2, police were called to the hospital after reports a staff member was allegedly attacked by five youths as she approached her vehicle, which was parked near the renal unit on Victoria Terrace.

The 58-year-old woman was badly bruised during the attack, and suffered a broken nose and thumb ligament damage.

She told Moree Online News she fought back.

“I left work a little later than usual as I was helping a colleague get ready to be on-call for the long weekend,” she said.

“It was still broad daylight. My car was parked on hospital grounds, literally just to the side of the renal unit.

“I walked directly to my car and put my bag in the front passenger footwell.

“As I stood back up, a youth was walking past the newly erected high fence between my car and Victoria Terrace,” she said.

“He looked directly at me, yelled something to his friends and turned and started running towards me.

“Within seconds, he had run up to me yelling for me to give him my keys, to give him my car, my phone my wallet.

“I started screaming back at him. He then started grabbing at me, my clothes, my hair, my arms. I was trying to fight him off as best as I could,” she said.

The victim was punched in the face and hit with palm branches from a nearby tree.

“I could see someone had jumped into my car trying to start it and there was another youth at the back passenger door trying to get into the car that way.

“My phone wallet was knocked out of my hand and, as they lunged for it, I stomped my foot down on it so they couldn’t get it.

“After about three or four minutes of full-on attacking me, they ran off when they realised they were not getting anything,” she said.

The victim’s screams alerted hospital staff and security.

“I sustained suspected torn ligaments in my very swollen and bruised thumb, a broken nose and multiple deep bruises,” she said.

The victim praised Moree police officers.

“The police have been amazing,” she said.

“They are so kind and wonderful. We have a lot of exposure to them at work.”

A Moree Hospital spokesperson said there had been similar incidents since major redevelopment and construction work began at the hospital.

“It’s not the first incident involving staff cars since we have had to park away from the campus,” the spokesperson said.

“A few weeks ago, two staff members had windows smashed and cars ransacked. Prior to that, there have been multiple, similar events.”