Bondi influencer frolics at beach after affray conviction overturned on mental health grounds

Ben Handsaker is snapped enjoying Bondi Beach a week after his conviction for a drunken street assault which left a man unconscious was overturned on mental health grounds.

Ben Handsaker trains on Bondi Beach.icture: Newscorp Daily Telegraph /Gaye Gerard

A week after having his affray conviction overturned on mental health grounds, Bondi influencer Ben Handsaker has been snapped training at the beach.

The buff bloke, who has more than 40,000 Instagram followers, was initially sentenced to a two-year community correction order for leg sweeping a young man and rendering him unconscious outside Bondi McDonald’s in April.

In the images, Handsaker is seen working out wearing matching his and hers ‘coconut’ togs to his partner, Gabriela Sene.

Last week, Handsaker’s conviction was overturned at Downing Centre District Court.

Agreed facts reveal on November 13, 2021, the 38-year-old was talking to security outside McDonald’s Bondi Beach just before midnight, when he was “seen to close both fists … placed them together … [in] a fighting stance” towards another member of the public.

Ben Handsaker at Bondi Beach. Photo by: Newscorp Daily Telegraph /Gaye Gerard

He then turned his attention to a “group of young men” where he “flexed his muscles”.

A young man took off his jacket, with Handsaker removing his shirt as the pair began throwing punches without contact in a “playful” manner.

Handsaker then kicked his foot out, making contact with the young man’s leg area. The young man kicked back but missed.

Ben Handsaker and girlfriend wear matching swimmers. Photo by: Newscorp Daily Telegraph /Gaye Gerard

He grabbed the young man and performed “a leg sweep” as he fell to the ground with great force, hitting his head on the concrete, leaving him unconscious.

Police were called as the young man was taken to a nearby seat with his feet “at one point dragging along the ground”.

CCTV of the incident was played in court, before the prosecutor said he opposed Handsaker’s mental health application.

He said it was serious offending, and it “occurred because he was drunk … that’s the bottom line”.

Ben Handsaker appeared in Downing Centre Local Court on Wednesday, April 5.

The prosecutor told the court Handsaker had a previous affray matter from 2008 – which was dealt with under s10 which saw no conviction recorded.

He said the 38-year-old seemed to have “longstanding” mental health problems and required “long-term treatment”, however, noting the court only had power to impose a 12-month order if the appeal was upheld.

While accepting alcohol was a “contributing factor”, saying Handsaker “was paralytic”, barrister George Thomas disagreed that it was the sole reason.

“We’re perfectly candid and accept … part of the mix of issues [he] has been grappling with for a long time now has been binge drinking,” he said.

Ben Handsaker appeared in Downing Centre Local Court on Wednesday, April 5.

Ben Handsaker as seen on Instagram.

But, Mr Thomas drew the court to the environment Handsaker had grown up in, and violence he was exposed to.

He told the court his client had engaged with treatment a few months before his offending “because he had sufficient insight … he had a problem”.

While saying “at first consideration” the prosecutor’s argument had some “attraction”, Judge Warwick Hunt said when one looks at the forensic psychologist’s report, Handsaker’s impairment “was not solely the result” of alcohol.

Judge Hunt said he was satisfied since the offence, Handsaker had maintained his sobriety and continued to treat his PTSD and ultimately discharged the 38-year-old into the care of his psychotherapist for 12 months.

“This is a chance that you are getting … it must have been fairly embarrassing for you to watch that video in open court,” he told Handsaker.