The Chronicle

‘Where was the ankle monitor’

- Courtney Gould

A cancer survivor and grandmothe­r allegedly bashed at the hands of a freed immigratio­n detainee says she can’t understand why the man had his ankle monitor removed.

Ninette Simons, 73, and her 76-year-old husband Philip were victims of a home invasion after three men allegedly conned their way into her Perth home by pretending to be police officers.

Police allege Mr Simons was tied up and his wife bashed.

Immigratio­n Minister Andrew Giles called during a Channel 9 interview on Wednesday and Ms Simons said: “I don’t feel safe here any more, I don’t. But I’m doing my best to live here – I don’t know.”

Kuwait-born Majid Jamshidi Doukoshkan was charged over the attack.

He was one of about 150 detainees released after a High Court ruling in the NZYQ case found indefinite immigratio­n detention was unlawful.

The government now faces scrutiny over why the 43-yearold was not wearing an ankle monitor at the time.

“That’s what we can’t understand, why was his ankle bracelet removed in March?” Ms Simons asked Mr Giles from her Girrawheen home, adding that the government had “let her down”.

Mr Doukoshkan faced court in February over alleged curfew breaches. The Commonweal­th did not oppose bail, despite the government claiming otherwise earlier this week.

The charges were later dropped due to a blunder that resulted in the Commonweal­th reissuing visas for the NZYQaffect­ed cohort.

Mr Doukoshkan was wearing a monitor at the hearing in February but was not at the time of the alleged home invasion on April 19 after the Commonweal­th protection board said it was not necessary.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said: “It’s not appropriat­e for me to comment on individual cases, particular­ly ones before the courts.”

 ?? ?? Ninette Simons.
Ninette Simons.

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