Cyrus Kane Stusser jailed for at least 14 months for Hindley St bashing

One punch from this teen resulted in a large section of his victim’s skull having to be replaced. See the shocking CCTV footage and his jail sentence.

A young man whose single “sickening” punch left his victim with near fatal injuries had to be jailed to send a message that drug and alcohol-fuelled violence on the Adelaide party strip was to be condemned, a judge has said.

Cyrus Kane Stusser was 19 when he struck his victim with a single punch outside the Dog and Duck Hotel on Hindley St on July 5, 2020.

The now 21-year-old will now spend at least the next 16 months in prison after pleading guilty to recklessly causing serious harm.

Security footage of the incident released by the District Court shows Stusser and the victim being spoken to by security from the Dog and Duck in separate groups.

They had clashed while waiting in line to get into the venue in the early hours of the morning, but no punches had been thrown.

However, at the same time security left both parties unattended and within a minute the victim lay unconscious on the road with a fractured skull.

The footage shows the victim was unconscious before he hit the ground and was not able to put his hands up to protect himself.

As bystanders went to his aid, police pepper sprayed Stusser and brought him to the ground.

Cyrus Kane Stusser pictured leaving the Adelaide Magistrates Court in October 2020. Pic Tait Schmaal.

The victim’s family were told that the young man was unlikely to survive the emergency surgery required to stop the bleeding in his brain, and if he did he would likely spend the rest of his life with a severe brain injury.

On hearing the news of her son’s likely fate, the victim’s mother had a stroke.

The victim’s brain was knocked almost a centimetre from the base line and a large section of his skull had to be replaced.

He continues to suffer hearing issues and has ringing in his ear which the District Court heard was likely to be permanent.

In a victim impact statement read to the court, the victim said his dreams of being an Air Force pilot or a heavy diesel mechanic had been shattered by the assault which will have lasting effects on his co-ordination and ability to work.

Judge Paul Muscat said that general deterrence, the principle that a harsh penalty will deter other people from committing the same crime, was of prime importance for sentencing.

“As your case underlines, a single forceful punch to the head can be a highly dangerous act,” he said/

“There is high public concern of this kind of violence among young men. Testosterone and immaturity and ego have their parts to play.

“Often the violence is brief and not premeditated and is in response to something completely out of proportion.

“But the consequences can be life long or fatal.”

He described the punch, which was captured clearly on camera as “sickening”,

Stusser was jailed for three years and three days. Because of his age, Judge Muscat ordered a lower than usual non-parole period of 16 months.