Towradgi Beach Hotel: Jarryd Ellul escapes jail after punching man
A magistrate has slammed an Illawarra tradie who left a father with horrific injuries following an alcohol-fuelled one-punch attack at a local pub, saying it could ended a lot worse.
Illawarra Star
Don't miss out on the headlines from Illawarra Star. Followed categories will be added to My News.
- Dalibor Bubanja charged over alleged rape, assault campaign
- Kiama man denies breaching COVID rules after viral cop video
A young Albion Park tradie who knocked a man out and fractured his skull in a drunken one-punch attack at an Illawarra pub has escaped jail time.
Jarryd Ellul was slammed by Magistrate Susan McGowan at Wollongong Local Court on Tuesday, after he left a man with chipped teeth and a fracture to the back of his skull following an afternoon on the drink at Towradgi Beach Hotel earlier this year.
“It could have been an absolute disaster…,” she said.
“He could have been charged with something else.”
After hearing from Ellul’s lawyer that the 22-year-old’s behaviour was an “aberration” and not true to his otherwise good character, Magistrate McGowan made the decision to allow Ellul to serve his 20-month jail sentence in the community by way of intensive corrections order.
“I do accept this is an aberration and that he has not been drinking since the offence,” she said.
On Tuesday, the court heard Ellul’s victim still suffers from loss of balance, walking straight and ringing in his ears five months on from the attack.
In documents tendered to the court, it was revealed Ellul’s alcohol-fuelled violence on February 29 was sparked after the man, who was at the pub with his family, asked Ellul to move away from the front of an EFTPOS machine.
“Can you step aside so I can pay for my drinks,” the man asked Ellul.
“No, I’m speaking with my mates,” Ellul responded.
The man then told Ellul there was “no issues” and that he just needed to withdraw money to pay for the water and jug of coke he’d ordered for his family.
Ellul then punched the man in the face, causing him to fall to the ground, hitting his head.
The impact knocked the man out and he was rushed to Wollongong Hospital in an ambulance, while Ellul left the pub.
“The accused was influenced by alcohol whereas the victim was completely sober,” court documents read.
“The assault was unprovoked and the victim had no time to react.”
Ellul later handed himself into Wollongong Police Station and was charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm, to which he pleaded guilty in August.
As part of his sentence, Magistrate McGoiwan also ordered Ellul complete 200 hours of community service, pay $3000 in fines and participate in drug and alcohol counselling.