Kurun Ruska-Fisher jailed for Brunswick Hotel bashing, robbery

A Brisbane man has been jailed for leaving a pub patron with multiple facial fractures during a violent robbery and secreting drugs in his anus when arrested.

A Brisbane man and a co-accused offered a punter drugs at a popular inner-city Brisbane pub, then helped cave the victim’s face in during a violent robbery after the cash had been withdrawn.

When police subsequently located Woolloongabba man Kurun Yackiel Ruska-Fisher at Brisbane City three days later, they discovered drugs secreted in his anus.

Ruska-Fisher pleaded guilty in Brisbane District Court on Thursday to robbery in company with personal violence and possessing dangerous drugs.

The court heard the robbery occurred on September 18 last year near Fortitude Valley’s Brunswick Hotel, where Ruska-Fisher and his co-accused met their victim.

After offering to sell the 47-year-old man two ecstasy tablets, the trio decamped to a nearby ATM, wherein the victim became suspicious of his assailants.

The co-accused asked Ruska-Fisher of their victim, “Can I hit him yet?” at which point the pair demanded $50.

The victim decamped in an attempt to get away from the pair, but when he turned around, he was struck in the face and then punched and kicked repeatedly to the head.

He offered them $20 each and tried again to escape, but he was hunted down for a second time, bashed again and lost consciousness.

Ruska-Fisher and his co-accused then stole the man’s phone and wallet.

The man suffered fractures to his cheekbone, eye socket, jaw and nose.

Woolloongabba thug Kurun Yackiel Ruska-Fisher, 26. Picture: Facebook

Police identified Ruska-Fisher from CCTV and discovered him in September 21 in possession of shoes spattered with his victim’s blood.

Ruska-Fisher had secreted Buprenorphine strips in his anus.

The court heard Ruska-Fisher was on parole and had a suspended sentence hanging over his head at the time of the offending.

He was a recidivist violent offender, conducting a spree of assaults on Stradbroke Island between 2017 and 2020, the court was told.

He held up an elderly lady at a newsagent at knifepoint, sparked an all-in brawl at the Stradbroke Island Hotel, and furthermore bashed and pushed several people near Cylinder Beach, the court heard.

His other offending consisted of drug and public nuisance type offences.

Defence counsel Damien Gates told the court his client had a longstanding addiction to methamphetamine.

He noted that his client had spent “considerable” periods incarcerated for someone still in their mid-20s.

Mr Gates said Ruska-Fisher had completed “some” substance abuse programs while in custody, but needed further rehabilitation in the community.

He said his client came from a large family with a prejudicial background caused by his parents’ own addiction issues.

Mr Gates said Ruska-Fisher had never met his co-accused prior to the robbery.

Judge Gregory Lynham sentenced Ruska-Fisher to three years’ imprisonment with parole-eligibility set at today’s date.