Brutal stomping, kicking assault caught on CCTV

Man laughs while walking away after stomping and kicking victim, while he was on the ground at North Ipswich.

A COWARDLY lad who kicked and stomped a man in a brutal street attack, has been freed from jail after 86 days behind bars.

With his family in the Ipswich Magistrates Court watching Jonathan Moevasa, 23, from Leichhardt, pleaded guilty to assaulting the man when armed in company at North Ipswich, on February 24.

Ipswich magistrate Donna MacCallum said CCTV showed Moevasa walking off, laughing.

Moevasa sat in the dock as his part-heard sentence was finalised after it was adjourned to give police time to contact the victim to get details of his injuries and recovery.

However, prosecutor Senior Constable Bernard Elmore said the victim was not found.

Police sought a jail term of 12 to 15 months while defence lawyer Matthew Fairclough said no more than 12 months.

Magistrate Donna MacCallum said it was a serious assault with the victim set upon by a group of people, but she had no details of his injuries.

"He was chased out onto the road by you and other persons," Ms MacCallum said to Moevasa.

"There was an attempt by (the victim) to get you away from him. Waving an umbrella at you but he was further chased.

"You tripped him on the sidewalk, caused him to fall to the ground.

"You stomped on him.

"He covered his head for protection.

"It seems you kicked and stomped him several times.

"Another person joined in kicking, punching and stomping.

"Then another person intervened and pushed you out of the way.

"Seems another person leaned over (the victim) and began violently striking at his body. And that you kicked and stomped on him, and continued."

Ms MacCallum said more friends of Moevasa arrived and attempted to get him away from the victim.

"But it seems your associate continued to strike and kick at him," Ms MacCallum said.

"And when police arrived you and the other two accused ran off leaving him on the ground and showing no concern for his welfare.

"It is alleged that camera footage shows you walking away with others and laughing, showing no remorse."

Ms MacCallum told him that offences of such violence would not be tolerated by the courts and he had now spent 86 days in jail.

"I've no details of his injuries but he was taken by ambulance to hospital. There was some concern that he may have a broken collarbone and soft tissue injuries," she said.

"It was a persistent attack on him and there were opportunities for you to walk away.

"But you continued to assault him up to the arrival of police."

She sentenced Moevasa to 15-months jail and ordered he be immediately released to parole.