Corey James Bridge jailed for bashing Beenleigh party host’s dad

A Logan man with a violent, drug-fuelled past launched an horrific assault on a 58-year-old man, kicking his head ‘like a football’, a court has heard.

A drunk Logan man pulled a kitchen knife at a party, arguing with a reveller before launching a horrific assault on the 58-year-old father of the host, bashing him and kicking his head on the ground “like a football”.

Mount Warren Park man Corey James Bridge, 23, pleaded guilty in Brisbane District Court on Monday to three offences.

They included assault occasioning bodily harm, common assault and threatening violence.

The incident at the party occurred at an address at Beenleigh on January 27, 2017.

Bridge had “too much to drink” and had an “aggressive disposition” in the lead-up to the assault, the court heard.

After becoming involved in a confrontation with a reveller, where Bridge produced a large kitchen knife, the host’s 58-year-old father attempted to intervene.

Bridge pushed and punched the older man, causing him to fall to the floor, before Bridge unleashed a flurry of kicks to the man.

Mount Warren Park man Corey James Bridge, 23, pictured in circa 2014. Picture: Facebook

Other revellers then also joined in the cowardly assault of the stricken man, with either Bridge or another reveller administering a kick to the man’s head which was “as though it was a football”.

This causes a severe contusion to his face requiring hospitalisation where there was “real concern” as to his prospects of recovery.

Crown prosecutor Lara Soldi told the court the “terrifying” assault was compounded by the fact it occurred in full view of the victim’s “distressed” family.

“It was a savage attack while (the victim) lay on the ground,” she said.

Several weeks after the incident, on February 7, one of the man’s children confronted Bridge in Beenleigh regarding the assault, asking why Bridge had assaulted his father, to which Bridge responded by swinging his bag menacingly towards his interlocutor, leading to a “very minor” charge of common assault.

The court heard Bridge had a lengthy criminal history, featuring drug, trespass and public nuisance offending among other entries.

Bridge was arrested on July 14 this year in relation to another matter and has spent the intervening period remanded in pre-sentence custody.

Defence counsel Justin Thomas told the court his client had developed a methamphetamine addiction following his graduation from Beenleigh State High School.

He said Bridge had worked for a period as a brickie’s labourer and had several offers of work upon his release, in landscaping and high-pressure cleaning, respectively, courtesy his father and brother.

Judge David Reid sentenced Bridge to seven-and-a-half months’ imprisonment with immediate court-ordered parole.

The court heard Bridge would remain in custody at least until October 6, when he will appear in front of the Magistrates Court in relation to the other, unrelated alleged offending for which he was arrested on July 14.