Girrawheen home invasion: Victim Ninette Simons says Government has ‘let her down’

Caleb Runciman
The Nightly
Ninette, pictured, and Philip Simons speak out after a shocking home invasion at their Girrawheen home
Ninette, pictured, and Philip Simons speak out after a shocking home invasion at their Girrawheen home Credit: 7NEWS/Supplied

The victim of a vicious home invasion in which a former immigration detainee allegedly entered her home and bashed her told the Federal Government she no longer feels safe in her own home.

Ninette Simons, 73, and her 76-year-old husband Phillip were targeted in the horrific burglary on April 16 when three men allegedly conned their way into her Perth home by pretending to be police officers.

Police say Mr Simons was tied up while his wife was bashed before $200,000 worth of jewellery was stolen from their home.

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Revelations one of the men allegedly involved was ex-detainee Majid Jamshidi Doukoshkan has sent the Federal Government scrambling — sparking Immigration Minister Andrew Giles to finally reach out to Ms Simons on Wednesday.

Mrs Simons said Mr Giles apologised to her over the phone.

“How did he end up in our lounge room is what I can’t fathom,” she reportedly told Mr Giles during the conversation.

One of the trio accused of bashing a pensioner in WA is an immigration detainee released after a landmark High Court ruling.
Ninette Simons, 73, and her 76-year-old husband Phillip were targeted in the horrific burglary on April 16 when three men allegedly conned their way into her Girrawheen home by pretending to be police officers.  Credit: WA Police/TheWest

“I don’t feel very safe here anymore, unfortunately, I don’t, I’m doing my best to live here.”

Mr Jamshidi Doukoshkan faced a Perth court in February after he was accused of breaching his visa curfew conditions upon his release following a landmark High Court ruling.

But counsel for the Commonwealth in the case did not oppose bail, merely warning that “further breaches may not have the same response”.

The magistrate told Mr Jamshidi Doukoshkan he was “on very thin ice”, adding that she would not have granted bail had the Commonwealth not been so “generous”.

But the 43-year-old Kuwaiti’s charges were later dropped after an embarrassing visa bungle where his visa was deemed invalid due to a “technical issue”.

The Commonwealth’s own community protection board then ordered his ankle bracelet be removed in March.

Majid Jamshidi Doukoshkan - who has been charged over the Girrawheen home invasion
Mr Jamshidi Doukoshkan faced a Perth court in February after he was accused of breaching his visa curfew conditions upon his release following a landmark High Court ruling.  Credit: facebook/supplied

WA Labor MP Anne Aly was also filmed entering the home of Mrs Simons on Wednesday as the government desperately tries to claw back credibility on the issue.

Dr Aly did not respond to questions about being sent to the home, when asked on camera.

Speaking about the attack last week Mrs Simons, a cancer survivor, said she had been left terrified and remained in a lot of pain.

“I am not the same person I used to be, I can hardly stand or walk,” she said.

Mrs Simons said one of the men tried to put handcuffs on her before she was punched in the face by another assailant.

“I was thrown to the ground and he said ‘lie face down.’

“I managed to get up (he) pushed me back and I hit my head hard against the tiles in my bathroom, by which time I was pouring with blood from my mouth and my nose.

“I thought I was dying ... I don’t know how I survived this.”

WA police have allocated a “significant number” of resources to track down Joel Leslie Painter, a 36-year-old man they believe is the final outstanding person linked to the home invasion.

As of Wednesday night police were still yet to find Mr Painter.

The West Australian on Tuesday revealed that a major drug debt owed to the Comanchero bikie gang is believed to be a motivation behind the attack.

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