Arrest over assault of autistic boy and intellectually disabled man on Melbourne bus

A man has been arrested over an attack on an autistic boy and an intellectually disabled man on a Melbourne bus.

The 14-year-old boy and 33-year-old man were allegedly assaulted after getting on a bus at Waverley Gardens Shopping Centre on September 7.

About 3pm that day, the man approached a 32-year-old intellectually disabled and partially deaf man on a bus at the shopping centre and allegedly asked what he was looking at.

When the victim did not respond, the attacker allegedly punched the 32-year-old in the face and returned to his seat.

A 14-year-old autistic boy saw the alleged incident and moved to the front of the bus.

The attacker then approached the boy and hit him multiple times in the face.

A call to Crime Stoppers after an appeal for witnesses yesterday led to the arrest of a 19-year-old Noble Park man today.

The man is in custody assisting with inquiries, police said.