Jed Silvester, 22, sentenced over savage assault at Drifters Wharf in Gosford

A first grade rugby league player for Woy Woy Roosters has been jailed over the savage bashing of a man at a popular Gosford music venue.

Jed Silvester has been jailed for a savage bashing at a Gosford music venue. Picture: Facebook

A rugby league player for Woy Woy Roosters has been jailed for the “protection of the community” after a savage bashing at a popular Gosford venue.

Jed Silvester, 22 of Ettalong Beach, appeared before Gosford Local Court on Thursday where he was sentenced to 12 months full time imprisonment with a non parole period of six months.

Silvester, who has been resigned to the Roosters first grade side for 2023, pleaded guilty to one charge of assault occasioning actual bodily harm after bashing a man in the bathroom of Drifters Wharf on February 12 2022.

The court heard he was on a community corrections order at the time of the offence for a destroy/damage property conviction and had just completed an intensive corrections order for a conviction of affray from a cowardly attack outside the Bayview Hotel in Woy Woy in 2020.

Silvester’s supporters in court were emotional as the sentence was handed down. After officers walked him from the courtroom for his first jail stint, a family member cried “they can’t take him away from me”.

Jed Silvester, of Ettalong Beach, has been jailed for assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

An agreed set of facts tendered to the court state that the latest incident occurred between 8pm and 8.30pm on February 12 at Drifters Wharf on the Gosford waterfront.

The victim and his mate arrived at the venue at 8pm, headed to the bathroom and saw Silvester and another man who were known to them.

He ignored the pair and went into the bathroom stall when the door was pushed in towards him.

The facts stated that Silvester said “you’re a dead c**t, I will kill you” before the victim said “leave me alone”.

Silvester repeated “you’re a dead c**t” and the victim told the other male to “pull your mate away” before Silvester grabbed him by the collar, clenched his right fist and punched him in the face.

The assault occurred in the bathroom of Drifters Wharf in Gosford.

“The accused attempted to punch the victim 7-8 times and made contact to the victim’s face 2-3 times,” the facts read.

“The accused threw the victim to the floor and began throwing punches at both the victim’s body and head.”

The victim covered his face with his arms before a security guard entered the bathroom and Silvester left.

The victim was taken to Gosford Hospital for injuries which included a swollen eye, 2-3cm cut above his eye, bruised ribs and elbow and a lump to the right side of his head.

The next day the police obtained CCTV footage of Silvester and the victim entering and exiting the bathroom at Drifters Wharf.

Jed Silvester (middle) was resigned to the Roosters first grade side for 2023.

On June 13, Silvester went to Gosford Police Station and was charged with the offence.

Silvester’s lawyer said the incident occurred due to “animosity” between the victim and Silvester over a separate incident related to a friend of Silvester’s which culminated in the bathroom fight.

He said hands were thrown between both parties and told the court Silvester had “great ties in the community”, was well respected and had been assessed as having a low risk of reoffending.

The police prosecutor highlighted the seriousness of the matter and said no other sentence other than imprisonment was warranted for the protection of the community.

Jed Silvester (right) was previously sentenced to a nine months ICO for a violent, unprovoked attack on a man outside the Bayview Hotel in Woy Woy in 2020.

Magistrate Jennifer Price said it was “significant” that Silvester had previously been dealt with for a charge of affray and destroy/damage property with alcohol playing a role in all offences.

She said in a letter from Silvester to the court, he minimised his role in the offending.

Magistrate Price said Silvester’s history gave her “no confidence in terms of the protection of the community” and said no other sentence other than full time imprisonment was warranted.

Silvester will be eligible for parole on May 31 2023.

He has since lodged an appeal against the sentence which has been set down for January 23 in the Gosford District Court, however bail has been refused.