What made 'Casey the Punisher' turn on his bully: Teen YouTube sensation reveals how three years of torment left him suicidal

By Daily Mail Reporter
UPDATED:02:39, 21 March 2011

Internet sensation Casey Heynes, 15, has talked about the world-famous video clip which shows him picking up and dropping a school bully
Internet sensation Casey Heynes, 15, has talked about the world-famous video clip which shows him picking up and dropping a school bully
They duct taped him to a pole, slapped him and repeatedly dubbed him 'fatty' to the point Casey Heynes thought about taking his life.
Now the bullied and overweight teenager has spoken out about that shocking moment when he turned the tables on his tormentor with a stunning wrestling move caught on camera making him a You Tube sensation.
The 15-year-old finally floored the school bully after he repeatedly hit him.
This week he revealed he had snapped because 'Everything had built up over three years'.
The Aussie schoolboy has received thousands of messages of support from all over the world since the 40-second clip was posted online.
But he denied being a superhero, even though he said he has enjoyed being nicknamed 'The Punisher'.
His older sister Tiana said he was now an icon, and his father Colin defended his son's actions, saying he had 'no choice' but to react the way he did.
Casey, from New South Wales, said his three years of bullying left him contemplating suicide.
The footage, apparently shot on a mobile phone by another child, shows one boy picking on Casey, punching him in the face and stomach while a group of pupils laugh and egg him on.
The smaller boy squares up to Casey and said: 'Have you been talking s***?'
Casey's attacker runs at him before throwing a punch in his direction forcing the 15-year-old into a corner
Take that: Casey is backed up against the wall as the bully squares up to him
Casey's attacker runs at him before throwing a punch in his direction backing the 15-year-old into a corner

Backed up against a wall, Casey responds: 'I haven't been talking s***.'
Casey finally lashes out grabbing his attacker wresting him before spinning him around 360 degrees and slamming him to the ground in a wrestling move.
The teenager said the 12-year-old had tormented him two weeks earlier.
He said: 'Two weeks prior to that he and others would come up to me and slap me across the back of the head and tease me and all of that.
'They said, 'You're a fatty' and, 'Lose some weight'.'
Wrestling move: Casey grabs his tormentor, turns him around and lifts him up before smashing him to the concrete
Wrestling move: Casey grabs his tormentor, turns him around and lifts him up before smashing him to the concrete
Take that: The dazed bully climbs slowly to his feet and limps away from the scene
Take that: The dazed bully climbs slowly to his feet and limps away from the scene
He said he had gone to collect a timetable at his school, Chifley College in St Marys, Western Sydney, when the bully hit him in the face, triggering his now famous reaction.
Casey said that he thought the bully's friends would join in the attack.
'That's why I picked him up and dropped him, because I was scared,' he said.
'I wanted to diffuse the situation.'

More...

  • Founder of Childline loses her job at ITV amid claims...of BULLYING

He said he had never reacted like that before, but this time, 'Everything had built up over three years.
'All the anger came out of it.'
He said he acknowledged he could have been more seriously hurt. His tormentor ended up with a grazed knee.
However, both boys were suspended from the school for fighting.
Casey said he felt he didn't over react, saying: 'I just wanted it to stop.'
Casey has since been immortalized in a South Korean computer animation called 'Casey the Punisher' who turns into an Incredible Hulk-style green muscle man.Casey has since been immortalized in a South Korean computer animation called 'Casey the Punisher' who turns into an Incredible Hulk-style green muscle man.
Casey's older sister Tania said her brother's wrestling moves had made him an icon
Casey's older sister Tania said her brother's wrestling moves had made him an icon
Casey's father Colin has defended his son's actions saying he had
Casey's father Colin has defended his son's actions saying he had "no choice" but to react the way he did
He told the special Sunday night edition of the programme how he has felt picked on and put down by other youngsters ever since he can remember.
'In primary school, in year two all the way to year six, once I hit High School, one person started it and at the time I had eight friends.
'Those eight friends ditched me that first year, and then the teasing started.
'They'd call me 'fatty', slap me across the back of the head and trip me and throw water bottles at me.
'It happened practically every day.'
He said he felt 'lonely' when his friends ditched him.
'I was all alone. That's what made me an easy target.'
Asked what makes an OK day, he replied: 'When nobody touches me and teases me.'
He said he lowest moment was when he 'contemplated suicide'.
'It was a year ago. I was really putting myself down and I was down at that level. All the crap just kept on piling on.'
He also revealed how he was duct taped to a pole saying: 'They put duct tape over my eyes first and taped me to a pole.'
He said he thought the bullies targeted him 'because I don't retaliate' adding he was 'pretty much' an easy target.
Giving advice to kids who are the victims of bullies, Casey said: 'On the good days, keep your chin up. School isn't going to last forever.'
He said his older sister, Tiana, helped get him through those dark times.
Tiana said: 'When I saw the video I said to him, 'I know I shouldn't be saying this, but high five!'
'I felt to me like he had defeated something that had been troubling him for years.
'He is a hero to other kids. He's an icon.'
He dad Colin said he had no idea of the full extent of his son's suffering.
He added: 'I did not realize how much trouble he was actually in until I'd seen that video.
'He said, 'Well that goes on every day, dad'.
'I thought to myself, 'You poor little bloke. How many years did you put up with this sort of treatment?'
'After I saw it I had a tear in my eye, I felt so bad.
'I don't condone violence. It was a horrific thing to see.
'It's nothing to be proud of, but I am glad he stood up for himself.
'They backed him against a wall and he had no option. He had to do it. He had to defend himself.'
He added the incident has changed his demeanor and self esteem.
'He's already standing a lot straighter, a lot more proud, which is very good for him.
Casey has since been immortalized in a Street Fighter-style video game, and also a South Korean computer animation called 'Casey the Punisher' who turns into an Incredible Hulk-style green muscle man.
Four Facebook pages have been set up in his honour with more than 200,000 fans.
He said it felt 'pretty good' to read the thousands of messages of support he has received.
'I've never had so much support.'

Comments:
I bullied a kid at school - once, when I was about 10 years old. He was always being teased by the other kids for having ginger hair, and I'm ashamed to say I joined in, probably because I knew he wouldn't fight back. I'd seen that before when other kids bullied him - he didn't put up any resistance, he usually just ended up crying. So I thought I'd look good in front of my mates by giving him a slap. What I didn't realise was that he had one very good friend (who was smaller than me, incidentally). This friend beat the living daylights out of me, and told me that if I ever picked on his mate again, I'd get a repeat of the beating I had just experienced. My well-deserved cuts and grazes subsided, but the shame that I felt was indescribable, and I even cringe now when I think about it - 60 years later. I never bullied anyone again, a lesson that has served me well in my life. The same will apply to the squirt in the video - this moment will torment him forever. Good job, too.
Click to rate Rating 245
Report abuse
Why were both boys suspended the little boy deserves to be expelled for his conduct and deserved all that came his way Casey showed quite a lot of restraint and didn't fight he merely picked the kid up and dumped him on the floor then walked off Not sure if I would have left it at that after what the little bully had just done
Click to rate Rating 143
Report abuse
The thing that screams out at me from this is:- How come the teachers and the Head of school are so in the dark about this matter. Bullying affects education, the educative process. ANYTHING which aff ects education in a school or college, is the business of the teaching staff. So how come they are not doing their job I ask? Still getting paid, even though one of your pupils is in such a bad social condition mentally that he's contemplating suicide? As one who was involved in teacher education and who taught for many years (in tough areas by the way), I'd have you on the carpet and damned quick I assure you. You are paid for identifying and dealing with anything that adversely affects the learning process A matter many in the trade choose to forget. (NO you are not acting professionally, so don't call yourself a member of the profession
Click to rate Rating 80
Report abuse
Should name and shame the bully - Not so tough now is he!!!!
Click to rate Rating 117
Report abuse
The bully got what he deserved.
Click to rate Rating 132
Report abuse
Clear cut case of self defence, he was being attacked (again) and now he's the one in trouble. This schools principle and governors should be sue by the family for not protecting the welfare of their child, and they can't say that there is no issue because the footage is on the net for everyone to watch.
Click to rate Rating 126
Report abuse
With that quick manoeuvre (a Slam Punk?), Casey turned Gala (his persecutor) into Galah (Aussie slang for "twit"). Onya, Casey!
Click to rate Rating 4
Report abuse
Why do schools punish kids who fight back...? it seems the bully's violence goes unchecked but god help the poor victim who strikes out only THEN do the principals act. I have told my kids to protect themselves in any threatening situation regardless of the age of the aggressor - good one Casey!
Click to rate Rating 17
Report abuse
watched the interview and he seems very grown up, whether you like it or not anger bottles up and when you get backed in the corner your instincts kick in, happened to me just like that, i stood up to the bullies and every time they tried it i'd pick them up by the throat, they soon learned not to mess with me and now that im twenty three im good friends with a few of them, things change and people grow up, good one kiddo you did the right thing.
Click to rate Rating 12
Report abuse
Well done Casey, you should be proud of yourself.
Click to rate Rating 14
Report abuse