Baylee Pickett pleaded guilty to attack on Christies Beach restaurant owner

A southern suburbs restaurant owner was left needing 40 stitches after he was allegedly swarmed by five strangers in a brutal bashing and stabbing.

A teenager who punched a Christies Beach restaurant owner, leaving him with restricted vision after an alleged group bashing is “mortified” by his actions.

Baylee Luke Pickett, 19, faced sentencing submissions in the District Court for his role in the violent joint enterprise.

Four men, along with a 17-year-old, allegedly attacked the owner of the Southern Palace Chinese restaurant on Gulfview Rd, Christies Beach.

A man was taken to hospital with serious injuries after he was allegedly stabbed and beaten out the front of his restaurant. Picture: Katrina Muhsin/10 NEWS FIRST

Mark Alessandrini, for the prosecution, told the court the victim was cutting up meat about 11pm on January 28 when he heard the men outside.

He put a meat cleaver in his pocket and confronted the men, who had been allegedly marking graffiti on his window.

It appeared the graffiti said “pay ya tick”.

“Pay ya tick” was allegedly spray painted on the restaurant windows. Picture: Katrina Muhsin/10 NEWS FIRST

A bloodied footprint was at the scene. Picture: Katrina Muhsin/10 NEWS FIRST

“The victim says he was then surrounded by the five males and he brandished the meat cleaver and was swinging it effectively to dissuade them from coming closer to him,” Mr Alessandrini said.

The court heard the victim was then allegedly chased by the men, before he was assaulted.

One of Pickett’s co-accused is charged with stabbing the victim’s hand, which required 40 stitches.

Mr Alessandrini said the victim continues to suffer from a sunken eye, resulting in restricted vision.

The court heard the victim, who was not known to any of the men, also lost his $10,000 gold necklace during the incident.

Baylee Pickett pleaded guilty to causing harm with intent. Photo: Facebook

Pickett, of Fulham Gardens, pleaded guilty to causing harm with intent.

Stacey Carter, for Pickett, told the court he was the only one yet to accept responsibility for the offending, which showed his genuine remorse.

Ms Carter said Pickett was intoxicated on the night and had a patchy memory of the incident.

“He does admit to punching the victim a couple of times,” she said.

“Once he realised it had gone too far he was the only one that really tried to intervene and assist the complainant.”

The court heard Pickett, who was “mortified” by his behaviour, spent three months in custody for the offending.

Ms Carter said Pickett had an employment opportunity interstate available to him for a fresh start and he had ceased contact with his co-accused.

Pickett will be sentenced later this month.