Barry Siecker back before the courts for punching a man in the back of the head
A violent and unpredictable young man jailed for bashing a banana-dressed Fringe performer with his own ukulele is back before the courts.
Police & Courts
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An unpredictable and violent man who was jailed for hitting a Fringe entertainer with his own ukulele is back behind bars – this time for coward punching a man on the back of his head.
Barry Siecker, 31, pleaded to intentionally causing harm over the assault on May 16, 2022.
He has been fast-tracked through the courts because of his early plea and appeared in the District Court earlier this month for sentencing submissions.
Leah O’Donnell, prosecuting, said Siecker had a significant criminal history including assaults on both people known to him and strangers.
“He has developed an incredibly dangerous habit of punching members of the public to the head, which does have a potential cause extremely serious injuries and even death,” she said.
Chief Judge Michael Evans heard there were conflicting narratives about what happened on the day of the attack.
Siecker said he had been arguing with his partner at the time and the victim intervened, saying “why don’t you fight me, it’s better than fighting your girlfriend”.
Ms O’Donnell said there had been some kind of exchange, but the victim did not provoke Siecker.
The extent of the victim’s injuries were not detailed during submissions but he discharged himself from hospital later that day.
Siecker said he called an ambulance for the victim and was then arrested – but prosecutors said there was no evidence a call was made.
Instead, Siecker was tracked through the city by police security cameras until he was arrested.
Siecker had also been arrested on February 19, 2020, after hitting a Fringe performer playing a ukulele on Rundle Mall dressed as a banana.
He tore the ukulele from the performer’s hands and then hit him over the head with it before being restrained by onlookers.
In October 2020 he was jailed again for disorderly behaviour on Hindley Street where he was seen kicking bins, screaming and chasing people.
In February this year, only months before the most recent assault, Siecker was arrested for punching a staff member at the Tollgate Motel several times to the side of the head.
At one point during the attack Siecker was holding a pair of scissors, but prosecutors accepted he had not used the items as a weapon.
“The report writer considers the accused to be impulsive, hostile, impatient, unempathetic with little consideration for the needs of others and with the tendency to act impulsively,” Ms O’Donnell said.
Brad Dittmar, for Siecker, said his client had grown up living a vagrant’s lifestyle where violence was normalised.
“Every time I have spoken to him he has been regretful and remorseful,” he said.
Siecker will be sentenced next month.
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