Thread: Australian family involved in bar fight at Kuta discotheque

Three bouncers from a Bali bar have been arrested over an attack on former North Melbourne coach Dean Laidley and his family.

A police officer at the Kuta Police Station, who identified himself as Mr Dalto, said three security guards from the Bounty Discotheque had been in custody for three days.

He said the security guards had given a different version of events.

"They make police report too about hit. The first story they have, the suspect story when it happened, the security went in to stop fighting," Mr Dalto said.

He said a meeting was held today between police, the Bounty Discotheque, the family and the Australian consulate to "try to get a solution for this case".

"Three days ago we got them (security) and they stay in jail. The police still continue to take investigation to them," he said.

Laidley required stitches after being hit in the head with a bottle, his son’s jaw was broken and other family members including women were also injured in the attack.

Speaking on radio this morning, Laidley said police had told him the vicious attack may have been a set-up.

Laidley was glassed with a beer bottle and his son Cane suffered a broken jaw and suspected broken nose in the stoush with security guards at the club, one of Kuta’s most popular nightspots.

The godfather of Laidley’s youngest daughter was also pushed into a pond outside the club and held underwater, almost drowning him, Laidley claimed.

Laidley said he had reported the assault on Friday night to Indonesian police.

"What the police are telling us so far is that things like this happen all the time," Laidley told SEN radio.

"Not to this degree. We had taken family snaps of the night .. and they’ve taken all those and from what they can gather they reckon it’s from a police set-up."

Footage of Mr Laidley’s son and other injured and bloodied family members waiting to receive treatment at the Bali International Medical Centre was aired on Today Tonight last night.

They were treated for head trauma and glass cuts sustained in the brawl, Channel Seven reported.

A doctor at the centre said one family member had an open wound to the forehead after being hit with a beer bottle.

During the footage, which Laidley claims he asked not to be aired, one woman in the group said a group of men were waiting to pounce at the club.

"‘He grabbed him by the T-shirt, ripped him down, started kicking him, pounding into him," she says.

"They had people waiting, three people for each person."

Laidley had travelled to Bali with his family to celebrate the wedding of his daughter Brooke on Tuesday, and the extended family was celebrating one of its last nights together on Friday.

They had gone out to dinner when some of the younger members decided to kick on at another venue, and their parents joined them.

Laidley said he had "Bali belly" and was not drinking alcohol on the night, and labelled the attack "completely unprovoked and out of the blue".

‘‘Everyone was just dancing and having a good time and then all of a sudden, bang, whatever happened happened,’’ he told SEN.

Mr Laidley and his injured son flew home late on Saturday, however some of the group, including Laidley’s wife and daughter, are still in Indonesia.

He said walking his daughter down the aisle was ‘‘one of the best days of my life’’, and it was devastating that the family trip had degenerated into such violence.

Read more: Dean Laidley Bashed on Bali Wedding Holiday

Strange story.
'Speaking on radio this morning, Laidley said police had told him the vicious attack may have been a set-up."

ok excuse my noobishness here, but set up for what?? I cannot think of a motive to set them up unless they really pissed some people off.

Oh and yay (heavy sarcasm here) on it being on today tonight.... Fine journalistic program that.. Perhaps it will scare the bogans away though :D

Set up my ass, they must have pissed off the Security Guards/Laskar Bali Gang Members who work there. They should count them selves lucky they're not dead like the Kiwi who was bottled there last year.

I agree...something not adding up at all, security would not attack for no reason. Another unfortunate story...

Originally Posted by balinews

Speaking on radio this morning, Laidley said police had told him the vicious attack may have been a set-up.

The godfather of Laidley’s youngest daughter was also pushed into a pond outside the club and held underwater, almost drowning him, Laidley claimed.

"Not to this degree. We had taken family snaps of the night .. and they’ve taken all those and from what they can gather they reckon it’s from a police set-up."


Laidley said he had "Bali belly" and was not drinking alcohol on the night, and labelled the attack "completely unprovoked and out of the blue".


Read more: Dean Laidley Bashed on Bali Wedding Holiday

ehh what a crock of sh!t.. The bounty security - Laskar or not are nut cases. Laskar have quite alot of security in alot of clubs and bounty just seems to be nuts but from my experiences of going there the sh!t from indo & the sh!t from aus meet up and have a free for all in groping expeditions and fights. Certainly not my bar of choice.

I have never seen this pool/pond behind, infront or inside Bounty??

He had Bali belly yet he was able to leave his hotel room??

This guy sounds like a twat that got too drunk, too mouthy and got put back in his place..

Don't you think it's strange how this happens right at the time when the boot is being put into Bali because some little dickhead got nabbed for buying some pot?
Setup my a---e

The Australian media is absolutely killing Bali at the moment.

No us Aussies are just getting to trouble , as per usual...sigh

So, looking at the big picture, as a future expat would I be safe there in Bali? You hear about these things quite often. It makes me wonder if Westerners are welcomed.