Darren West claims farmer who dobbed him in for storing grain at closed CBH bin once ‘coward punched’ him

Labor MP Darren West has hit back at claims he used his political sway to gain special permission to store oats at a disused CBH site, telling State Parliament the farmer behind the allegations was convicted of “coward punching” him more than 20 years ago and has had an “unhealthy obsession” with him since. The shocking revelations come after Mr West was put in the spotlight on Tuesday when Northam farmer Scott Mcpherson published a picture on Instagram showing a pile of oats tipped into the side of an otherwise-empty grain bin currently closed to other farmers. “What a joke Darren West thinks he can tip oats into the unused Jennacubbine CBH this show (sic) a man with no morals and is a disgrace to the flow (sic) grain growers in the state,” Mr Mcpherson wrote. “All growers are doing it tuff (sic) this year with state record crop and to have a political person thinking he is above everyone is un Australian, who does this man think he is.” The post sparked outrage from grain growers having to drive dozens of kilometres to deliver to CBH sites as their local bins fill and close prematurely due to the State’s record-breaking harvest. Mr West was accused of having special treatment by CBH and using the site for “private benefit”. He said he had permission from CBH to temporarily store oats at the site after his truck broke down and needed an engine refit, because his “oats were shedding” and there were no oat receival sites within 100km of his farm. He told State Parliament Mr Mcpherson was trying to taint his reputation and had an “unhealthy obsession” with him after pleading guilty and being convicted after “coward’s punching” the now-politician outside a Wheatbelt tavern in 1999. “Mcpherson crept up behind his victim, grabbed him by the hair and punched his victim in the face, knocking him to the ground,” Mr West said. “As the victim got up to face their attacker, Mcpherson kicked his victim in the head with such force that the victim was spun around at 180 degrees, rendering them dazed, disorientated and defenceless. “Mcpherson continued to kick his victim, stomping on their head, neck and arms until a brave bystander pulled him away from his victim. “I know the fine details of this assault, because I was Mcpherson’s victim.” Mr West called the attack a “cowardly, unprovoked attack” on a farmer “going home to his young family” and claimed Mr Mcpherson had targeted the West family since. “Since his conviction, I have been assaulted by Mcpherson again — he has tried to ram my vehicle, he has showered a spray of abuse from the Northam Racecourse in front of hundreds of patrons,” he said. “His behaviour continues to be unacceptable. I never speak or make eye contact with him and immediately leave when he enters any location that I am in. “It is for this reason that I flagged his behaviour with WA Police yesterday. “It is a most unpleasant experience to have a stalker that is obsessed with you and your family.” The matter was also raised by Nationals MLC Colin de Grussa in State Parliament on Tuesday, despite Mr West not being in attendance. Mr West slammed Mr de Grussa for using the social media post without research calling it a “political coward’s punch” made without warning. CBH declined to confirm whether the grain belonged to Mr West, but the company’s acting chief operations officer Mick Daw said a grower had been given permission to store oats at the site. “We understand that this unprecedented volume of grain is placing significant pressure on everyone involved with harvest including growers, their families, employees, transporters and CBH staff,” Mr Daw said. “CBH is working hard to assist all growers where possible and from time to time is able to offer growers assistance with specific short-term storage issues. “In this particular instance the grower was given permission by CBH to store oats at Jennacubbine, a non-network site for a very short period of time.” Mr West said he hoped the criticism would not stop CBH from helping growers that needed it. “Our oats were beginning to shed and needed to be harvested with some urgency,” he said. “I thank CBH... I find it refreshing that a large organisation is able to willing to help growers.”