Sticky Fingers bassist Paddy Cornwall convicted for affray on frontman Dylan Frost

An indie music star whose band dramatically fell from grace has narrowly avoided jail after an embarrassing bowlo dust-up with his own troubled bandmate.

The helpless frontman of a controversial Sydney rock band was belted more than two dozen times by his own bandmate after a boozy daytime drink-up ended in a brutal laneway bashing.

Sticky Fingers were once darlings of the indie rock music scene and national youth broadcaster Triple J, touring the globe, producing platinum records and lighting up the national festival scene.

Paddy Cornwall of Sticky Fingers fame. Picture: Joel Carrett

But simmering tensions between bassist Patrick “Paddy” Cornwall, of Coogee, and lead singer Dylan Frost exploded in a Marrickville laneway when the pair were booted out of a bowling club after a six-hour drinking session.

A court heard it was the result of interpersonal frustrations which have repeatedly plagued the band, including an incident in which Frost allegedly clobbered Cornwall with a cymbal.

Vision aired in court showed Frost “dancing” down the alleyway before an argument erupted between the pair, which included the lead singer throwing Cornwall’s hat away.

Sticky Fingers in happier times.

The court heard the Coogee man had “seen red” after babysitting the lead singer and his problems for years, with a childish push and shove leading to Cornwall punching his mate five times in the face.

He then wrestled Frost to the ground, sat on him and repeatedly punched him 26 times to the head.

Bystanders momentarily disrupted the brawl before Cornwall’s lingering appetite for retribution saw him throw a mobile phone missile at Frost before kicking him.

Frontman Dylan Frost was viciously bashed by his band ‘brother’. Picture: Mark Metcalfe

When witnesses walked away Cornwall began to punch and kick Frost again until emergency services arrived at the scene.

The rockers were mired in controversy in 2016 following highly-publicised allegations of racism, sexism, transphobia and violence from frontman Frost.

After a two-year hiatus, the band attracted even more outrage when an interview on Triple J Hack designed as a mea culpa saw Frost respond to his past antics by saying “boys will be boys”.

“We answered a question with the line ‘boys will be boys’ and ‘shit happens’,” the band said in a subsequent statement on Instagram. “Our point is that the attitude of ‘boys will be boys’ and ‘shit happens’ is no way to look at violence (and) it was in no way intended to show we aren’t genuinely on a path to positive change.”

Paddy Cornwall (left) with his lawyer Paul McGirr and partner. Picture: Joel Carrett

Last year Cornwall apologised for a 2019 Instagram post referring to Triple J as “a bunch of f***ing maggots” for not playing the band’s music due to the claims about their behaviour.

In the since-deleted Instagram post, Cornwall said “it was my actions last year that ultimately soured the relationship”.

“I’m sorry to the people I hurt at the station, as well as my own team,” Cornwall wrote at the time.

“I ain’t the same derailed, angry person you saw last year – I’m not where I want to be yet, but I’ve been doing a lot better, dealing with my demons.”

Sticky Fingers were once darlings of Sydney’s indie music scene.

In Downing Centre Local Court on Monday, the bassist attempted to have his affray charge dismissed on mental health grounds with the court hearing evidence of his bipolar and substance abuse disorders, including a three-week stay at a psychiatric ward in 2016. Cornwall’s lawyer Paul McGirr told the court Frost had allegedly assaulted Cornwall numerous times across the years, including one time with a cymbal when performing on stage. The application was rejected by Magistrate Brett Shields who instead accepted the rocker’s guilty plea and sentenced him to 18 months’ jail to be served in the community.

Cornwall will have to abstain from alcohol and drugs for the term of his intensive corrections order or face the State Parole Authority and potential full-time imprisonment.

Frost, who has also been charged with affray for his alleged involvement in the incident, will face a hearing at the same court in coming weeks.