Dirty Sultan nightclub reveller smears blood on bouncer’s face

An attack on a Brisbane nightclub bouncer has been condemned by a police prosecutor as the worst case of common assault she has seen for a long time.

Jonah Johnson leaves Brisbane Magistrates Court. Picture: John Gass/NCA NewsWire

A late-night reveller who smeared blood over the face of a nightclub bouncer was suffering delusions before and after the “vulgar and despicable” act, a court has heard.

Sydney man Jonah Johnson was at Dirty Sultan in Fortitude Valley on February 2 when asked to remove his headwear by a security guard, Brisbane Magistrates Court heard.

The court heard Johnson and a co-defendant were immediately hostile to the bouncer and had to be physically removed from the club.

The police prosecutor said both men attacked the guard by shoving him.

“(Johnson) then smeared his own blood on the victim’s face and tried to do so a number of times,” she said.

“The victim showed great restraint while he copped abuse and physical violence from the defendant for several minutes until police arrived.”

Johnson then punched the guard.

The 22-year-old today pleaded guilty to one count of common assault.

The police prosecutor said it was “the worst case of common assault that I’ve come across in a very long time”.

“It is a vile act… there are I believe 26 communicable diseases that can be contracted from blood, and three of them, the most popular, are HIV, hep C hep B,” she said.

Legal Aid lawyer Bree Bullock said her client’s significant mental health issues reduced his moral culpability.

Jonah Johnson leaves Brisbane Magistrates Court. Picture: John Gass/NCA NewsWire

“He was experiencing delusions in the lead-up to and after the event,” she said.

“In fact, he was hospitalised with psychosis just a week after this event … it’s their opinion that his mental illness impaired his judgment on the evening.”

Ms Bullock said Johnson, who was born in Bangkok to Liberian parents, had a prejudicial background including the death of his mother when he was very young.

“He had an incredibly traumatic upbringing, which included kidnapping, domestic violence and abandonment,” she said.

Johnson migrated to Australia as a refugee in 2006 and on turning 17 found himself homeless

Her client had suffered multiple psychotic episodes and had been diagnosed with PTSD and schizophrenia.

Ms Bullock tendered a letter of apology from Johnson and two character references which referred to his offending as an “aberration”.

“This behaviour is clearly uncharacteristic for Mr Johnson,” she said.

Magistrate Julian Noud accepted Johnson had displayed remorse and insight however his offering was “very serious”.

“It must be said … your behaviour on that night was both vulgar and despicable,” he said.

Mr Noud said a sentence needed to denounce and deter his conduct but also take into account his mental health issues and prejudicial background. .

Johnson was sentenced to a 12-month probation order.

No conviction was recorded.