Jacob Neil Downey pleads guilty to assault of 18-year-old

A man who yelled “vile abuse” at a student travelling home from school before punching him multiple times has faced a Sunshine Coast court.

A man who pleaded guilty to punching and racially abusing an 18-year-old travelling home from school on a train has learnt his fate in a Sunshine Coast court.

Jacob Neil Downey, 23, appeared on video link in the Maroochydore District Court on Monday, where he pleaded guilty to a series of offences which took place last year.

The charges included a robbery offence, stealing, obstructing police and drug possession as well as an assault charge.

Crown prosecutor Alex Stark told the court the assault occasioning bodily harm charge related to an incident on a train in February 2023, where Downey repeatedly yelled racial slurs at an 18-year-old man on his way home from school.

“The complainant was an 18-year-old man of African descent who did not know the defendant, he was simply travelling on a train at 8.25pm when it stopped at Auchenflower train station where the defendant was on the platform,” Mr Stark said.

Mr Stark told the court Downey then walked onto the train, yelling racial slurs at the victim before punching him.

“He punched the complainant in the head twice in quick succession, striking the complainant’s left eye, causing a small cut and bruise,” Mr Stark said.

Mr Stark told the court the 23-year-old was also charged with the theft of $280 worth of goods from a Nambour chemist and a $30 tray of meat from a Caloundra IGA.

Barrister for Downey, Nathan Turner, told the court the 23-year-old had a number of mental health issues including schizophrenia.

“When he was shown the footage of that incident, shown by the police he said it made him sick,” Mr Turner said.

District Court judge Glen Cash described the attack against the 18-year-old as “terrifying”.

“It has got to be pretty terrifying to be an 18-year-old lad and having someone for no reason whatsoever coming onto the train yelling vile abuse and punching you,” Mr Cash said.

“It is not really about the physical harm caused, it has got to be terrifying.”

Downey was sentenced to 18 months’ behind bars to be released on parole on Tuesday, March 5, for the robbery offence.

For the assault, public nuisance charges, drug possession and obstructing police the 23-year-old was placed on a two-year probation order.

Mr Cash ordered the 227 days already spent in custody be considered time already served.