Homicide Victims Support Group

ARRAN BRODICK BARR

Arran Brodick Barr -- My Son

I last spoke to my son Arran on the morning of the 3rd March, 2006. He was assaulted at the Whitfords train station later that day. Arran knew his

assailant, who was distressed at losing his wallet. Arran was trying to calm him down, trying to prevent him from losing control, and was assaulted

for his efforts. Arran never regained consciousness, finally losing his fight for life on the 23rd May, 2006.

Arran was a young man struggling to find his way in life. The struggles of life is a problem faced by many of our youth today and it is not my intention to

suggest that my son was in any way exceptional in this regard. It would be remiss of me however, were I not to detail some of the things with which Arran

struggled.

He was a bright, intelligent young man. Arran could strip down, repair, and rebuild, Playstations, X-Boxes, TVs, and DVD players using only a pocket knife,

toothpicks, and tweezers. However, he struggled to maintain his studies at school. Ultimately he opted to leave school at an early age to pursue some

opportunities in the job market.

Obviously I wasn't happy with this but couldn't see the point in forcing him to stay on at school.

The months that followed proved to be particularly turbulent, both for Arran, and for me. I suffered a heart attack in July 2005, my seventh and most severe.

I had to be resuscitated, yet again.

This proved to be the turning point for Arran. He enrolled himself in an alternative education program, determined to continue with the studies he now

recognised he needed so badly were he to be successful in life.

Arran and I continued to have problems at home, but those were to be expected. As a young male, he was determined to assert his dominance in his

environment. Unfortunately, his environment was shared with a much older male just as determined to maintain HIS dominance. The clashes were

numerous and regular, but we both persevered.

ARRAN, ------- BUGLY, ------- FISH. My son was called lots of things, by lots of people. Most were terms of affection, but not all, --- especially some of the

things I called him from time to time. But, he always was, and forever will be ----- My son.

Arran was no angel, but he had a good heart. He always had an affinity for those less fortunate than himself. Even as a toddler he would go out of his way

to share his food, his toys, with the smaller, younger children around him.

As time progressed Arran evolved, and I detected some changes in him. I once read someone's description of a true Scotsman. --- " He'll give you his

last, --- and he'll take your last ". I have always considered that to be a fairly accurate description of my race. There must have been some Scottish blood

coursing through those veins because the description certainly applied to Arran.

The struggle between us seemed to be linked directly to his growth rate.

He acquired the habit of "eyeballing" me, every few days. He'd walk right up to me, look me in the eye, and then walk away without saying a word. For the

life of me, I couldn't understand what it was all about. I could have asked, --- but pride prevented me from doing so.

Then came the day when, before walking away, he simply SMILED. It was quite a while later when the answer dawned. For the first time in his life he'd

been looking DOWN at me. The "eyeballing" was replaced by "Hey Dad, I'm taller than you! "

Slowly but surely, this diminished, as did the struggle for dominance. It was as if he'd reached a pinnacle in his life. He no longer felt the need to assert

his dominance; it was enough that he'd outgrown me. He was a young man.

The change in Arran's confidence, stature and outlook during the last nine months of his young life were remarkable. He'd well and truly turned the corner.

Tragically, we will never see his true potential. But I know, within my heart, he'd have made me proud.

Let Justice Prevail

I brought up all of my children to respect other people and other people's property, to respect the law. If and when they didn't, they would suffer the

consequences. It was my absolute adherence to this principle more than any other, that lay at the root of any conflict my son Arran and I had.

A crime such as that committed against my son is intolerable in any civilised society. The law recognises as much, and provides for punishment that will

ensure at least, that others will not suffer again at the same hands, even if it does not prevent recurrence at the hands of others.

Arran's death was no accident. How can a person "accidentally hit" someone in these circumstances? There was no game. There was no scenario re-

enactment. Arran's assailant made a conscious decision to hit him in the way that he did. His actions were therefore directly attributable to his death.

Arran's assailant was charged with Manslaughter, not Murder or Wilful Murder; therefore the fact that he did not mean to inflict death is already

recognised. He deserved to be found guilty and punished accordingly.

Unfortunately, Arran's assailant was found not guilty of Manslaughter, and unbelievably, not guilty of Assault Occassioning Grievous Bodily Harm, but guilty

of Assault Occassioning Bodily Harm. Initially under a 12 month Pre-sentence order, on the 7th April 2009 he was finally given a six month suspended sentence.

And now, somehow, life must go on ....................

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Memorials Dedicated To My Son

Western Australia

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Isle of Arran, Scotland