Attack earns prison threat
AN IPSWICH man bashed two other men after they complained about his behaviour outside a nightclub.
Ipswich Magistrates Court heard Hamish Kevin O'Brien, 22, had been creating a nuisance outside the Brisbane St nightclub when two men walked past.
The court heard the men complained about O'Brien's drunken behaviour.
O'Brien chased the victims to their car and king hit one in the head, causing him to fall to the ground.
While down, O'Brien continued to punch the man and also assaulted the other man.
Prosecutor Constable Tracey Laing said the attack was unprovoked and cowardly.
Const Laing said people had a right to feel safe on the streets no matter what time of day or night.
O'Brien pleaded guilty to assault occasioning bodily harm in company, common assault and wilful damage.
The court heard O'Brien kicked in a window at Fatseas Take Away on Warwick Rd, Ipswich, on August 12.
He was ordered to pay $2970 to fix the damage.
Magistrate Donna MacCallum said innocent people were entitled to go about their business without being assaulted. "It was atrocious and appalling behaviour," Ms MacCallum said.
She warned him he could have killed the victim, saying all it took was for the head to hit the concrete at the wrong angle to cause serious damage or death.
"No-one forced you to get drunk," she said. She said random attacks in the street made victims more fearful to go out or come to the aid of someone else.
Defence lawyer Matthew Fairclough said since the incident O'Brien had moved in with his father, found full-time employment and had stopped drinking.
Mr Fairclough said his client couldn't recall a great deal from the night but was horrified to hear about what he had done.
O'Brien was sentenced to eight months prison, wholly suspended for 18 months, and placed on 18 months probation.
