‘Youth won’t save you’: Valley nightclub fight accused faces jail

One of the state’s top magistrates has granted bail to a young man charged with grievous bodily harm, but warned the accused that he faces “a real danger” of prison on his “day of reckoning”.

Koby Radford. Picture Instagram

One of the state’s top magistrates has ripped into a young man charged over an assault inside a Brisbane nightclub, saying his family’s support in court ultimately got him out of prison but warning that he faces “a real danger” of being jailed on his “day of reckoning”.

Koby Shane Radford, 21, faced Brisbane Arrests Court on Saturday charged with grievous bodily harm and cocaine possession, where he was represented by a duty lawyer.

Brisbane Arrest Court on Roma Street. Picture: Nicola McNamara.

The alleged violent incident occurred on the night of Sunday, June 23 within a Fortitude Valley nightclub. The court heard there was an initial physical confrontation involving Mr Radford’s friends which he was not directly involved in.

“A fight occurred between my client’s group of friends that didn’t initially involve him, my client instructed that he got involved to separate the group and he was then punched and retaliated,” Mr Radford’s duty lawyer said.

“He had gone out drinking with his friends and had had more to drink than usual after receiving the news that his father had been diagnosed with leukaemia. At this stage, there are still investigations as to the stage of that diagnosis and his prospects.”

However, the police prosecutor contradicted that account, saying the majority of the incident was captured on CCTV footage.

“The aggravating feature … is that the victim is attempting to leave the nightclub, the defendant (Mr Radford) follows him – this is after the first incident occurs – and throws a right-hand punch at the victim, causing the victim to grab his jaw,” the court heard.

“The victim then turns his head and the defendant hits him again, and it is at that stage that the victim is escorted out of the venue.

“[This was not a case of] all parties involved in a consensual fight … the victim is attempting to leave and the defendant is following him.”

The court heard Mr Radford’s history included convictions for common assault and assaulting a police officer in March 2021, followed by minor offences involving public nuisance at licenced premises in Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast.

But then there was a conviction for assault occasioning bodily harm in November 2022, he received a four-month prison sentence which was wholly suspended for three years.

Mr Radford’s parents and brother were in court throughout the bail application hearing on Saturday. His mother was visibly emotional at times.

Koby Radford. Picture: Instagram.

In the end, deputy chief magistrate Stephen Courtney granted the 21-year-old bail, saying his family’s support in court was a deciding factor.

“I really wrestled with what to do here … what has perhaps tipped the balance in your favour is the attendance of your family at court,” he told Mr Radford, who was brought into court from the watch house cells.

“It must be terrible for them to have to come along here on a Saturday and deal with this. I’m confident that hopefully with their intervention while you’re on bail, you can keep out of trouble.”

The deputy chief magistrate said the grievous bodily harm may be downgraded to assault occasioning bodily harm at a later stage, but issued a stern warning.

“You are in real significant danger of doing actual imprisonment when this matter is finalised, your youth won’t save you because of your previous findings of guilt,” he told Mr Radford.

“But whether you do actually go to jail is in your hands largely, I really do recommend you do everything you can to keep out of trouble and everything to demonstrate rehabilitation before your day of reckoning.”

Mr Radford must live at his family home in Brisbane’s north and abide by a home curfew from 9pm-6am every day.

“You and licensed premises at night don’t mix, do you understand? That is not to just keep you at home, but keep you out of licensed premises in the evening,” the magistrate said.

The case was adjourned to Brisbane Magistrates Court on July 8.