Jesse James Ryan faces Mackay court over assault causing grievous bodily harm

A man is punched unconscious with bleeding to the brain after refusing to ‘roll a durry’ for a childhood friend. Why it almost became a murder trial.

They were childhood mates but an argument over a cigarette and one of their mums descended into a moment of violence teetering on potential murder.

Jesse James Ryan was visiting Caneland Central shopping centre for a haircut when he ran into an old friend from Charleville.

The pair started chatting outside Big W as families walked past. Minutes later, Ryan threw a punch knocking the other man to the ground, his brain bleeding from the impact.

As his friend lay unconscious, Ryan walked away.

The 22 year old faced Mackay District Court via video link from jail on Thursday over the incident on September 5, last year.

Crown prosecutor Samantha O’Rourke said paramedics took Ryan’s victim to hospital with fractures and two “life threatening” brain haemorrhages.

“The (victim) does not remember what happened after (Ryan) accused him of throwing something at his mother’s house but fortunately the offending was captured on CCTV,” Ms O’Rourke said.

She said police interviewed Ryan after the incident during which he made “concerning statements” including saying the victim provoked him after he refused to “roll him a durry”.

“He also confirmed that while (the victim) was on the ground, he yelled out, ‘I told you brother, I didn’t have to do this’,” Ms O’Rourke said.

Jessie James Ryan faced Mackay court after a violent assault inside a busy Mackay shopping centre leaving his friend with ‘life threatening’ injuries.

Judge Julie Dick said Ryan was lucky his former friend survived the one punch blow.

“Many murder trials arise from such violence,” Judge Dick said.

Ms O’Rourke said the charge of assault causing grievous bodily harm carried a maximum sentence of 14 years prison, and submitted Judge Dick impose a head sentence of two-and-a-half years as deterrence and denunciation of the violence.

The court heard Ryan, who had already served 321 days in jail, had a substance abuse issue related to marijuana.

 

Defence barrister Scott McLennan, instructed by Legal Aid Queensland, said Ryan confronted his former friend before the punch about why he had thrown a mortar and pestle at his mother’s home.

Mr McLennan said his client had spent time in jail completing a white card as well as a pathways drug and alcohol course.

Judge Dick said while she was “not so persuaded” Ryan’s walking away after the attack was as “callous” as the footage appeared, the violence was serious and committed in public.

“Although the injuries are very serious, it didn’t need surgical intervention so you’re lucky about that,” she told him.

“I can tell you, it was a whisker between this being a murder charge and a serious bodily harm charge.”

Pleading guilty, Ryan was sentenced to two-and-a-half years prison with immediate parole.