Five teenage boys have admitted bashing a man at Perth's Stirling train station so badly doctors were forced to put him in a coma, after pleading guilty to downgraded charges.
The five, who cannot be named, were Churchlands Senior High School students when they bashed 20-year-old Matthew Henson on the afternoon of February 13 and stole his shoes and bag.
Mr Henson suffered severe head injuries and was initially placed in an induced coma at Royal Perth Hospital.
After spending weeks in intensive care and another specialised ward, he was transferred to Fiona Stanley Hospital to begin rehabilitation.
The five boys, now aged between 15 and 16, had been charged with aggravated robbery and causing grievous bodily harm.
Those charges were discontinued in the Perth Children's Court on Thusday, including for one boy who had already pleaded guilty.
All of the boys instead pleaded guilty to a new, lesser charge of intent to harm, doing an act as a result of which Mr Henson's life, health or safety was, or was likely, to be endangered.
They also pleaded guilty to stealing his shoes and one of the teenagers pleaded guilty to stealing his bag.
All charges were dismissed against a sixth boy and not replaced with any new charges.
He was allowed to walk free from the court.
Psychological and juvenile justice reports will be prepared for most of the boys before their sentencing on August 18.
Children's Court President Judge Hylton Quail told the boys it was in their interest to cooperate with all the reports.
