Groom Joshua Bovis jailed over buck’s party brawl at Patonga Boathouse
His dad broke a bouncer’s jaw and got an intensive corrections order. But when groom Joshua Bovis punched a police officer in the face in the same wild brawl, a magistrate felt compelled to send a message about respect.
Central Coast
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A magistrate has jailed a groom, who threw a “flurry of five to six punches” to the face of a police officer, because the respect for the uniform “doesn’t exist anymore”.
Joshua Norman Bovis, 29, of Woy Woy, pleaded guilty to sparking a wild brawl with police on his buck’s night when a bouncer refused to let his group into the Boathouse Hotel at Patonga.
He was with mates and his father Michael Andrew Bovis drinking at the Newport Arms Hotel on February 23 when they caught the ferry to Patonga some time after 6pm.
But when the buck’s party arrived at the Boathouse Hotel all wearing loud Hawaiian shirts a bouncer saw they were visibly affected by alcohol and refused them entry.
Joshua Bovis took particular offence to being barred and slapped the back of the bouncer’s head several times.
Police were called and spoke to staff who pointed out Bovis.
An officer went to arrest him but he pushed his hand away.
Fearing he would overcome by Joshua Bovis the officer deployed a burst of capsicum spray to his face “with little effect”.
“Seconds later Joshua Bovis threw a flurry of five to six punches at (the Senior Constable) each of which struck him in the face and head,” a statement of agreed facts read.
“This resulted in a major violent confrontation to commence.”
Meanwhile terrified families with young children started rushing to their cars to escape the brawl.
His father, 49, of Ettalong, joined in the melee and stood in the way of police trying to arrest his son, which caused “the situation to escalate”.
Later in the brawl Michael Bovis punched the bouncer in the face several times leaving him with a broken jaw and lost teeth.
The father and son duo pleaded guilty to using violence to cause fear, assaulting police and failing to quit a licenced premises.
Michael Bovis also pleaded guilty to recklessly inflicting grievous bodily harm to the bouncer.
Their barrister John O’Sullivan told Gosford Local Court Michael Bovis was a respected builder with five children, who volunteered coaching local rugby league and suffered the indignity of having to confess his offending to his church and bible study group.
Mr O’Sullivan said Michael Bovis also organised anti-domestic violence days.
“He’s a regular church goer, not a regular drinker and has drank way in excess of what he’s used to,” he told the court.
“It was not his intention to assault anyone ... things got out of control.”
Mr O’Sullivan said Joshua Bovis was also a “hard working responsible member of the community” and a dedicated “family man” to his three children.
“He accepts he has alcohol and anger issues,” Mr O’Sullivan said, adding Joshua Bovis was attending counselling.
Magistrate Alan Railton agreed Michael Bovis could serve a term of imprisonment in the community by way of an intensive corrections order (ICO).
However he said Joshua Bovis’ behaviour warranted full-time custody.
“It’s an appalling set of facts and there is no question Joshua is the starting point,” Mr Railton said.
“The difficulty I have with an ICO is the assault on the police officer. It’s a matter where I feel (his need for) rehabilitation is overweighed by a very strong statement of denunciation.
“The respect that used to exist for the uniform, we hear it anecdotally and see it here at court, doesn’t exist anymore.”
Mr Railton sentenced Joshua Bovis to 12 months jail with a non-parole period of nine months and fined him $900.
The magistrate sentenced Michael Bovis to a 12-month ICO, fined him $400 and ordered he undertake 200 hours of community service.
Joshua Bovis immediately appealed the severity of his sentence.
