Former Comanchero Danny Rapley’s behaviour in prison while on remand for causing serious harm

A former outlaw seeking leniency after bashing an innocent man may have his bid for leniency sent off course by an errant banana treat.

A former bikie who publicly bashed a good Samaritan should not be considered “beyond rehabilitation” just because he lost his temper, in prison, over a shared banana milkshake, a court has heard.

On Friday, counsel for former Comanchero Danny Rapley urged the District Court to exercise caution over claims their client’s alleged behaviour in jail should affect his bid for a suspended sentence.

Prosecutors said a pre-sentence report showed Rapley had not been a “model prisoner” on remand, and the court should be “troubled” by his prospects for rehabilitation.

They said it showed he had been involved in “numerous recorded instances” of verbal, but not physical, “anger, abuse or aggression” toward Department for Correctional Services staff.

Former Comanchero Danny Rapley pleaded guilty to recklessly causing serious harm. Picture: SA Police

Rapley seen in CCTV footage around the time of the incident. Picture: 9News

But Domenic Agresta, for Rapley, said prosecutors were pitching their case too high.

“Care must be taken in seeking to extrapolate broad submissions like these based on what are relatively minor events in a custodial setting, where people are not perfect,” he said.

“One instance involves a banana milkshake in the exercise yard … it was part of the daily food allotment of another prisoner, who shared it with Mr Rapley, and there was a conversation (with DCS staff).

“When one considers the context, the matters are essentially minor – and one must expect a person in custody will occasionally lose their temper or raise their voice.”

Rapley, 45, pleaded guilty to recklessly causing serious harm over the incident at Salisbury North in March 2021.

He and his partner had been arguing when a man, 49, of Paralowie, intervened – Rapley bashed him so severely that he suffered irreparable brain damage.

Rapley was arrested after a two-day manhunt.

In February, the man’s family told the court “the man we knew died” at Rapley’s hands, leaving him to suffer “confinement, helplessness, loneliness and confusion”.

On Friday, Judge Karen Thomas noted the pre-sentence report was “missing vital information” from SA Prison Health Services and would need to be re-submitted ahead of sentencing.

She remanded Rapley in custody for sentencing next month, ordering the new report be filed and counsel make any further written submissions prior to that date.