Russell Island feud sparks alleged savage beating of man in front of his family

A magistrate concerned with deadly violence has barred two brothers from Russell Island after an alleged bloody beating in front of a toddler.

Two co-accused brothers charged with assaulting a man at his Russell Island home in front of his partner and two-year-old at night have been ordered to “not step foot on the island” as part of their bail conditions following the “brewing” of a two-month feud.

Appearing at Cleveland Magistrates Court yesterday brothers Denzel Gordon Cumming, 23, and Luke John Cumming, 32, were each charged with one count of assault occasioning bodily harm and two counts of assault occasioning bodily harm while armed or in company.

The court heard the brothers allegedly confronted a Kennedy Ave resident at his home on November 17.

Images shown to the court showed the alleged damage suffered to the man’s face which would require stitches.

In a surprise twist, defence solicitor for the brothers, John MacCallum told the court Denzel would reverse his early guilty plea from the day before as “the facts were disputed”.

On NSW bail for similar offending and recently released from jail, the court was told, the younger brother appeared in the dock.

However, any chance of bail for Russell Island man Denzel would be quashed when Magistrate Deborah Vasta deemed the man an “absolutely unacceptable risk” to the island community, the alleged victim and alleged witnesses.

Denzel Cumming had his bail denied at Cleveland Magistrates Court. Picture: Facebook.

Out on bail Gold Coast resident Luke Cumming was ordered to “not step foot on the island” as part of his bail conditions.

“We have already had someone beaten to death on one of those islands this year; this is really serious behaviour,” Magistrate Vasta said.

The court heard the brothers allegedly went “to sort out” the man following an alleged slight suffered to their family some months ago.

Allegedly chased down at his home the magistrate acknowledged the alleged victim may have armed himself with a crowbar.

Mr MacCallum stated that Denzel’s main challenge was an Ice addiction which he “had been abstaining from for two months”.

The defence solicitor stated that the men come from a community-minded family – their father being a retired police sergeant and head of the Russell Island Rural Fire Brigade and their mother a nurse.

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It would do little to sway the magistrate’s decision.

Both men are next scheduled to appear at the court on January 14.