Brendan Irwin: Labourer pleads guilty to drunken assault

A 20-year-old labourer has pleaded guilty to a drunken assault, causing the victim to “bleed on the back of his brain” and undergo treatment for facial fractures. Read what happened.

Brendan Irwin pleaded guilty to assault occasioning in actual bodily harm in the company of others.

A 20-year-old labourer has pleaded guilty to a drunken assault, causing the victim to “bleed on the back of his brain” and undergo treatment for facial fractures.

Brendan Irwin appeared in Dubbo Local Court on Wednesday and pleaded guilty to assault occasioning in actual bodily harm, causing the victim to obtain a fracture to his face and bleeding on the back of his brain.

Police facts tendered to the court state Irwin said he was “blacked out” during the incident.

The incident occurred around 12.30am on March 4, when the victim and his friend were walking past a group of girls near West Dubbo Bottle shop.

Dubbo Courthouse

A girl who is known to the accused, allegedly yelled to the victims causing Irwin and the co-offenders to approach the victims.

After a few minutes of engaged conversation, Irwin pushed the friend before proceeding to throw a “haymaker” style punch.

The victim through a punch at Irwin to try and stop the assault.

According to the facts, Irwin threw another punch at the friend, causing his head to “knock” the ground.

The victim was allegedly grabbed by the co-accused before allegedly being punched 9 times and kneed two times to the head while being punched and kicked in the torso area.

The co-accused allegedly continue to assault the victim - before Irwin delivered a total of 10 “haymaker” uppercut style punches to the victim’s head.

After the co-accused allegedly stopped, the victim tried to help his friend before Irwin punched him, causing the victim to fall unconscious to the ground.

“The victim ... was immediately knocked unconscious as he falls heavily to the ground, having an unbraced fall, hitting his head with force,” the facts state.

The co-accused continued to assault the victim and eventually steal his gold Seiko watch.

According to the facts, the victim was “extremely unsteady on his feet - stumbling and struggling to stand”.

A few minutes later, the victim and his friend called the police and emergency services, before being taken to Dubbo Base Hospital.

Dubbo Courthouse. Picture: Jedd Manning/Western Aerial Productions

West Dubbo Bottle Shop recorded the incident on CCTV footage.

Several days later, following police investigations, officers attended the Irwin’s home before placing him under arrest and seizing his phone.

According to the facts, Irwin sent two video clips of the incident, which police allege was recorded by a co-accused to one of his contacts at 6.30am on the morning of the incident stating “ahha”, followed by, “yeah bred should of seen it the boys were spinning out 3 hits put them both out”, a few messages later.

Irwin responded “remorsefully” and said he was “blacked out” during the incident.

Irwin is currently on bail and will reappear for mention on May 30.