Lodoviko Cokanauto pleads guilty to Ocean St nightclub elbow attack

Security footage from a Sunshine Coast nightclub has shown the moment a promising rugby league player delivered a brutal blow to an unsuspecting punter’s head before a second cold act.

Lodoviko Senikuba Morisio Cokanauto leaving Maroochydore Magistrates Court on Friday. Picture: Sam Turner

A promising Sunshine Coast rugby league player has been placed on probation after brutally elbowing a nightclub punter in the face before callously leaving him unconscious on the floor.

Security footage from a Maroochydore nightclub from September 29 last year showed Lodoviko Senikuba Morisio Cokanauto deliver the callous blow to his unsuspecting victim.

The Maroochydore Magistrates Court watched the short video in court on Friday following his plea of guilty to assault.

In the CCTV, the 23-year-old can be seen at the bar of the Ocean St venue briefly next to another man. Seconds rolled by on the busy dance floor until the Birtinya man delivered a flying elbow to the victim’s left temple.

Magistrate Haydn Stjernqvist said Cokanauto completely “laid out” the man, who was seen on the footage lying on the ground unconscious for up to 40 seconds.

Disturbingly after seeing the victim fall to the ground, the Birtinya man nonchalantly walked off and left other punters and security to check on the other man’s welfare.

Police prosecutor Mark Burrell called it a “surprised attack” where Cokanauto left “without concern” for his victim as he was unconscious on the ground.

Cokanauto outside court. Picture: Sam Turner

Sergeant Burrell said the victim suffered a cut to the side of his head along with a small injury inside his mouth.

In a victim impact statement read to the court, Sergeant Burrell said the man suffered psychological impacts from the attack, where he felt anxious and afraid to go out in public and felt isolated from friends. He also was forced to take days off work due to the injury.

The victim said the assault changed his life “profoundly” and found it fortunate the outcome was not worse.

Defence solicitor Rose Killip said Cokanauto, who had no criminal history, voluntarily went to the police station and co-operated with officers.

Ms Killip said he played sport professionally but was stood down from his team. He also worked as a barber and in the mines.

She said the young father of two expressed remorse for his attack.

The solicitor told the court it was hard to speak about the extent of the victim’s recovery as there were no further medical documents before the court besides photographs which showed a cut to the head and bruised lip.

He pleaded guilty. Picture: Sam Turner

“[Cokanauto] should’ve been home,” Mr Stjernqvist said.

“Fathers can still go out,” Ms Killip replied.

“Well they shouldn’t, look what happens,” he said.

Mr Stjernqvist said the 23-year-old “made no attempt at all” to see if the man was all right after his elbow attack.

“You just sauntered out of the premises, into the night, on Ocean St,” he said.

“Complete callous disregard to the victim.

“He didn’t see it coming … he couldn’t take any evasive action.”

Cokanauto was placed on a two-year probation order. He must also pay $500 compensation to the victim.

Mr Stjernqvist banned the league player from Ocean St for a year.

No conviction was recorded.