Man punished for vicious New Year’s Day nightclub assault

A nightclub patron was taken to hospital with a broken nose among other facial injuries.

The victim was taken to hospital with multiple facial injuries after the attack at a Rockhampton nightspot during the early hours of New Year’s Day.

A MAN who viciously attacked a Rockhampton nightclub patron and put him in hospital during the early hours of New Year’s Day, has avoided jail.

Nathan Williams, 28, pleaded guilty in Yeppoon Magistrates Court on July 23 to assault ocassioning bodily harm.

The court heard the 21-year-old victim was outside The Goat Cafe and Bar in Rockhampton, about 4.30am, when Williams started punching him in the face.

Security guards and members of the public rushed to intervene and pulled Williams away.

The man on the receiving end of several blows suffered multiple facial injuries including a broken nose.

Williams’ solicitor said his client, a mine worker, had been out drinking on the morning of the incident.

He said prior to the assault, the victim had been talking about suicide which had upset Williams, whose sister had taken her own life two years’ earlier.

“That triggered him... he should have walked away, he acknowledges that, he’s apologetic for his actions,” the lawyer said.

Magistrate Jeff Clarke noted that Williams had no criminal history but said the courts frowned upon violence in public.

“The courts have long held that, that behaviour simply doesn’t belong in civilised society,” Mr Clarke said.

“And the courts have long held that people (offenders) can expect to go to prison.

“Even young people, who come from good work backgrounds and with good antecedence, can expect to go to prison if they want to resort to violence in public places.”

Mr Clarke placed Williams on 15 months’ probation which includes an order that he must attend counselling.