Ian Bryon Anderson in court for assault occasioning bodily harm

A Booyal man has been given “one last time” to redeem himself after bashing his step children’s father unconscious in the middle of an intersection, continuing to lay into his body after it had become motionless. Here are the shocking details.

A 41-year-old Booyal man with a history of violence has been given “one last time” to redeem himself after he bashed his step children’s father unconscious in the middle of a Rainbow Beach intersection.

Ian Bryon Anderson was sentenced in Gympie District Court on Friday after the court heard details of the vicious attack on Wednesday.

He was supported by two women in the public gallery.

Anderson was sentenced to 18 months behind bars but he was immediately released on parole.

One of the women supporting Anderson burst into tears at the news.

Ian Bryon Anderson pleaded guilty to one charge of assault occasioning bodily harm in Gympie District Court.

Judge Nathan Jarro said this was Anderson’s last chance to redeem himself before returning to prison.

“Thanks for the chance, your honour,” Anderson said in reply.

On Wednesday, the court heard the victim, who was the father of Anderson’s step children, was walking to collect his children from Anderson and his partner’s home in Rainbow Beach on the Cooloola Coast when he was approached by Anderson at an intersection.

Crown prosecutor Annika Fritz said Anderson told the victim to “leave the kids here” before punching him in the face.

Ian Bryon Anderson spent two days in the Gympie Watch House after he was remanded in custody on Wednesday.

The victim was knocked unconscious and fell onto the bitumen, but Anderson continued to kick his motionless body, Ms Fritz said.

The attack only stopped when two witnesses intervened and called police.

The victim suffered swelling to his right eye socket and right side of his face, but was otherwise not seriously injured.

Defence barrister Mark Dixon told the court his client and his partner were unemployed and couch-surfing at Rainbow Beach at the time of the offence, after moving from the Bundaberg region to the Gympie region to be closer to the children.

Gympie District Court heard Anderson had got his life back on track since assaulting his step children’s father in Rainbow Beach.

Mr Dixon said his client was remorseful of his actions and had since undergone significant changes, including finding a new job in Gayndah, as well as a home.

The children were now in the full-time care of their father, the court heard.

Anderson pleaded guilty to assault occasioning bodily harm.

The matter was left part-heard and he was remanded in custody until his next appearance on Friday, July 29.

One of Anderson’s supporters in the public gallery looked around with her mouth wide open at the news, then began sobbing into her hands.