Simione Latu: Judgment Day for pub basher

A magistrate has told a Queanbeyan tradesman guilty of bashing another man waiting for an Uber outside a pub that his victim “did not deserve to be a punching bag”.

A Queanbeyan man will spend at least eight months behind bars for bashing another man outside of a local pub.

Simione Latu, 26, was found guilty of common assault and assault occasioning actual bodily harm by Magistrate Roger Clisdell following a one-day Local Court hearing in July.

On the night of May 8, 2021 Latu threw a man across a bar at the Campbell & George pub during a fracas in the venue.

Following this incident, he bashed the same man during the early hours of May 9, 2021 while he was waiting for an Uber.

The court previously heard Latu launched at the man outside the pub and the victim punched Latu as he ran towards him.

Simione Latu is now behind bars after being sentenced for bashing a man waiting for an Uber. Picture: Facebook

However after the initial punch the man eventually fell to the ground where he was punched and kicked causing injuries to his eye.

The court heard during the bashing a woman who was at the pub acted as a human shield between the victim and Latu to stop the blows.

In July prosecutors made a detention application in line with recent amendments to the NSW bail act which requires people who have been convicted of a crime who are definitely facing time behind bars to prove there are special or exceptional circumstances if they are to be granted bail between conviction and sentencing dates.

This detention application was denied by Magistrate Clisdell who said he had not formally convicted Latu.

The magistrate described recent changes to the bail act as “rushed” through NSW parliament without consultation with the legal community.

He went on to say it was likely Latu would face full time jail but “not inevitable” and said he would need a “crystal ball” to know for sure to be in line with the bail act.

Simione Latu will be eligible for parole in May 2023. Picture: Facebook

Yet when it came to sentencing on Monday Clisdell’s view on full time jail was less murky.

“The only question that remains is if serving (a sentence) in the community is enough,” he said.

“In my view it is not.”

Mr Clisdell said if he gave Latu a sentence in the community “we are allowing a situation to develop where going out to licenced premises is a risk”.

He said previous Latu’s previous suspended sentences and sentences served in the community had failed to protect the community.

The magistrate said people should not fear violence when having a night on the town, and said such cases of alcohol fuelled violence had led to lockout laws in Sydney and Newcastle.

Simione Latu bashed a man outside a popular Queanbeyan pub in May 2021. Picture: Facebook

“One person who didn’t get a word in today’s hearing is the victim,” Mr Clisdell said.

“He didn’t deserve to be ragdolled across the bar.

“He didn’t deserve to be bashed on the ground and suffer significant injuries to his eye.

“He didn’t deserve to be a punching bag.”

Mr Clisdell told the court Latu’s Lawyer, Andrew Byrnes of Andrew Byrnes Law Group, had left “no stone unturned” in his sentencing submissions for his client.

Yet the magistrate ultimately found the submissions, which related in part to mental health concerns and a history of trauma, were not enough for Latu to avoid jail time.

Mr Clisdell sentenced Latu to 14 months in prison with a non parole period of 8 months.

Latu will be eligible for parole in May 2023.