Victor Sem sentenced for violence outside Bankstown karaoke bar

A respected bank manager kicked a man in the face and left him unconscious during a violent attack outside a karaoke bar while flanked by a former member of an organised Asian crime group.

Victor Sem outside Bankstown Local Court

A respected bank manager kicked a man in the face and left him unconscious during a violent attack outside a karaoke bar while flanked by a former member of an organised Asian crime group.

Victor Sem, 28, pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm while in company after he and friends attacked a man outside Bankstown’s Tang Hotspot and Karaoke bar in March 2021.

Sem appeared at Bankstown Local Court on Thursday as more than 10 supporters gathered in the courtroom.

Documents tendered to court reveal a physical melee broke out between Sem’s friends and the victim which spilt onto Greenfield Parade, towards the Bankstown Sports Club while Sem remained at the doorway of the karaoke bar.

The victim blasted “vulgar and aggressive language” at Sem and his friends, to the effect of, “come on you sick c***t” and threw a flurry of punches before running away.

Victor Sem outside of Bankstown Local Court.

“The victim was running before being pushed by one of Sem’s friends to the ground,” the facts state.

“As the victim was pushed to the ground, Sem ran over and kicked the victim to the left side of the face which caused the victim to immediately lose consciousness and fall into the footpath.”

Sem’s friend, 24-year-old Chok Seedam – who the court heard during his sentencing in June that he was a former member of an organised Asian crime group – continued to punch the victim to his face and head as he “remained defenceless” and unconscious.

“As a result of the incident and the offender’s friend’s actions thereafter, the victim suffered a fracture to the right side of the face and was required to undergo surgery,” the facts state.

The facts state Sem’s actions were a “momentary loss of control” as following the incident he visited the victim, apologised to the family and offered the victim money or to pay for any medical bills.

Sem’s lawyer said his client’s actions were “impulsive and not a premeditated decision”.

“He’s seeing red … when he saw he’d caused the victim to lose consciousness he stopped,” he said.

Magistrate Glen Walsh said there was a relationship between Sem’s loss of control and the fact he was “abusing alcohol” on the night of the incident, but said he does not pose a danger to the community.

Sem was convicted and sentenced to a community correction order for a period of 12 months.

A separate charge of reckless grievous bodily harm in company, which was withdrawn.

Seedam was convicted of reckless grievous bodily harm in company in June and was sentenced to two years, 10 months jail to be served by way of an intensive correction order in the community.