Steven DeBoer assaulted two people in Noarlunga Centre Interchange brawl

A racist comment sparked a man joining his friends in a brutal bashing on strangers in a ‘brazen’ daylight attack at one of Adelaide’s most dangerous bus interchanges.

A labourer joined his friends in a brutal bashing on innocent strangers at one of Adelaide’s most dangerous bus interchanges, a court has heard.

Steven David DeBoer, 33, made the foolish decision to entangle himself in the “free for all” brawl out of loyalty for his friend.

Zara Smith, for the prosecution, said they accepted DeBoer wasn’t the main instigator of the brawl on July 14, 2020 at the Noarlunga Centre Interchange.

“However … he joined in on the assault of the two victims while they were on the ground,” she said.

“Mr DeBoer admits kicking the victim to the head while he was on the ground.”

The court heard DeBoer was also captured on CCTV footage shoving the second victim.

The Noarlunga Centre Interchange/Railway Station. Picture: Ashleigh Pisani

“This is a spontaneous but a joint criminal enterprise to attack these two victims once they’re on the ground,” Ms Smith said.

“It was brazen offending, committed in the middle of the day in a busy suburban train station, where both the victims and the members of the public who witnessed the altercation were entitled to feel safe.”

Noarlunga Centre Interchange was named in 2021 as one of Adelaide’s most dangerous interchanges after figures revealed the number of drivers attacked in a two-year period.

The court heard the first victim suffered a broken nose, swelling and cuts, while the second victim suffered bruising and soreness.

DeBoer, of Aldinga Beach, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm.

His co-accused, Zayne Tyson Gramas-Martin, 21, was sentenced in May to one year and eight months jail, with a non parole period of 11 months for his role in the brawl.

Steven DeBoer. Photo: Facebook

Zayne Gramas-Martin. Picture: Facebook

During Gramas-Martin’s sentencing, the court heard another member from their group taunted three other young people before throwing the first punches.

Russell Cole, for DeBoer, told the court he had run into his friend at the Noarlunga Tavern on the day of the offending and started drinking with him and his group.

Mr Cole said DeBoer didn’t want to get involved but one of the men in the victim’s group made a racist comment to his friend and he reacted.

“He has been involved in some scraps but has never stooped that low before to carry out that sort of thing out,” Mr Cole said.

“It was a full on brawl, to use his words.

“There are a number of bodies on the grounds and everyone’s – it’s sort of a free for all.”

Mr Cole told the court DeBoer had previously worked as a labourer and had a daughter.

Judge Michael Burnett will sentence DeBoer next month.