Controversy surrounds the death of former West Australian MP Barry Urban, who passed away on Saturday night due to injuries sustained in an alleged assault outside his workplace in Perth’s southeast.
The 56-year-old was a manager at Tyre Brigade, an auto repair shop in Kelmscott.
What Happened?
In November, Urban was allegedly knocked to the ground by a 25-year-old man after a heated disagreement. Witnesses described the incident, which resulted in Urban hitting his head on the ground.
He was taken to Royal Perth Hospital and placed in an induced coma.
The alleged attacker is accused of punching Urban in the head.
A Troubled Past
Urban’s life was marred by controversy. He resigned from parliament in 2017 after being exposed for wearing fake service medals and lying about his qualifications.
He even falsely claimed to have been awarded war medals for investigating war crimes and lied to a parliamentary committee about his service record.
Urban was also found to have forged university degrees while applying to join the state’s police force, leading to a three-year jail sentence.
Reaction to His Death
WA Premier Roger Cook confirmed Urban’s death and extended his condolences to the family. “Unfortunately, (Mr Urban) succumbed to his injuries, and police are now reviewing the charges in relation to that incident,” Cook said.
Despite Urban’s flaws, Cook remembered him as a “jovial guy, a very likeable guy” who was part of the WA Labor family.
Justice to Be Served
The 25-year-old man accused of assaulting Urban is expected to face court on Sunday, with his charges upgraded to manslaughter following Urban’s death.
He was previously charged with grievous bodily harm and reckless driving after allegedly almost running over a bystander while attempting to flee the scene.