Luke Alan Lewis sentenced for Mooloolaba Wharf attack

A Sunshine Coast man has defied his lawyer and asked a judge for jail time after he bit a chunk of flesh from his sister’s fiance’s cheek a day before their wedding.

A Sunshine Coast man who bit a chunk of flesh from his sister’s fiance’s cheek a day before their wedding has defied his lawyers and begged to be sent to jail.

Luke Alan Lewis was sentenced to two years’ prison in Maroochydore District Court on Tuesday after he pleaded guilty to causing his soon-to-be brother-in-law grievous bodily harm at the Mooloolaba Wharf on March 24.

Lewis incredibly told the court he would prefer a term of imprisonment as he was sentenced to parole for the vicious attack.

The court heard Lewis, his sister and the 36-year-old victim were having a discussion out the front of the Mooloolaba venue when the pair started fighting.

“You punched him twice in the head which led to him tackling you to the ground,” Judge Glen Cash said.

“You lifted yourself up to bite him on the left side of his face and you bit with what must have been quite an amount of force because you actually bit some flesh from his cheek and spat it onto the ground.”

Mr Cash said Lewis also bit the man’s arm before being arrested by police.

Crown prosecutor Greg Cummings said Lewis was interviewed by officers shortly after the event.

“When people grab me the first instinct is to bite something off,” Lewis told police.

The court heard Lewis had previously warned the man about entering his personal space.

“He describes (in his statement to police) that he went ‘crack because he stepped in front of me and you have no right to stand in my space, I have a very small bubble and it can burst at a moment’s notice’,” Mr Cummings read.

Luke Alan Lewis was sentenced to two years' prison in Maroochydore District Court on Tuesday. Picture: Sunshine Coast Daily

Mr Cummings said Lewis had a history of violent offences and without intervention could continue to react violently in the community.

He said the offence was a “gross over-reaction”.

“It was a very vicious location and a very significant application of force to remove the chunk of flesh,” he said.

Mr Cummings suggested a two to three-year prison sentence was in range, but said it was up Mr Cash as to whether man served actual time behind bars.

Lewis’ barrister Mark Dixon said his client –who was diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder – had been involved in a fight with the injured man’s brother at a bucks party the day before.

“That incident had the consequence of heightening his vigilance and effectively priming his PTSD syndrome,” Mr Dixon said.

He said Lewis’ mental health conditions were directly linked to his reaction after he was followed out into the venue’s carpark by his sister and her fiance.

“It’s in the context of his PTSD being already heightened and then being followed for a further confrontation that he then results to the violence before the court,” he said.

The court heard Lewis struggled with hyper-vigilance and an alcohol problem.

A psychologist’s report tendered in court said Lewis was also diagnosed with depressive and social anxiety disorder, dyslexia and schizotypal personality disorder.

The report said medical assistance would significantly reduce Lewis’ 55 per cent chance of reoffending.

Mr Dixon said prison time could solidify Lewis’ criminal behaviour and suggested a two-year prison sentence with immediate release on parole.

He said Lewis, who had entered an early plea of guilty showed “genuine” remorse for the offending.

“I feel horrible about it, there is no apology to what I did to that fella’s face I think he would feel broken and hurt, he doesn't have much of a life and family like us,” Mr Dixon read from Lewis’ statement.

Mr Cash had agreed to give Lewis immediate release on parole when the 22-year-old asked to be sent to jail.

“I would probably prefer imprisonment to pay back in some sort of way, I’m genuinely guilty,” he said.

“No one is going to f---ing help me, I’m sorry for swearing, but I know no one is going to help me.

“I have to help myself and I disagree on the matter.”

Lewis said he wouldn’t “stick to” the parole obligations.

“I’m not going to lie to your face saying I’m going to stick to it, I don’t think it’s necessary,” he said.

Mr Cash didn’t change his sentence saying parole would help Lewis in his rehabilitation.

“It’s apparent to me, even if you won’t acknowledge it, that you need assistance,” he said.

The offence was classified as a domestic violence offence.