Finley Sexton: British expat denied bail again over charges of reckless wounding, reckless grievous bodily harm

A British expat accused of two separate incidents of serious, unprovoked drunken violence on a colleague and two females may argue he was acting in self-defence, a court has heard.

Finley Sexton has been in Australia for approximately 18 months. Photo: LinkedIn

The lawyer for a British expat accused of two separate incidents of “serious unprovoked” drunken violence on a colleague and two females in Sydney’s inner city has raised the possibility of self-defence on behalf of her client.

It comes as Finley Sexton made his second bail application within a month at Downing Centre Local Court after he was charged with two counts of reckless wounding and one count of reckless grievous bodily harm.

The court heard one of the alleged victims suffered a broken nose with the 25-year-old’s lawyer Angela Cooney questioning whether the injury actually amounted to grievous bodily harm, based on available information.

She noted her client had previously entered not guilty pleas to all charges.

Police allege in court documents Sexton caused grievous bodily harm to a man between 1.40am and 1.45am on June 1 in Rosebery.

The court previously heard the man was Sexton’s colleague.

Police further allege Sexton, a month later on July 2, recklessly wounded two women between 11pm and 12.10am at Bar Cleveland in Waterloo.

Ms Cooney told the court on Monday the alleged offences were linked with alcohol before submitting that new conditions were available, which were not presented to the court on the first occasion.

Downing Centre Local Court. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Nikki Short

These included a curfew condition, an appointment with a psychologist and Sexton being prohibited from entering any licensed venues.

Magistrate Brett Shields said the “significant violent” alleged offences were “troubling” and if convicted, Sexton “could easily get a full-time custodial sentence”.

Despite saying Mr Shields “might raise” his eyebrows at her submission, Ms Cooney told the court there were “live issues that need to be explored”, including self-defence.

Mr Shields interjected saying he hadn’t read “anything suggestive of self-defence”.

While Ms Cooney had earlier pointed to alcohol being the key feature behind the alleged offences, Mr Shields said it was perhaps “driven by something associated with [Sexton’s] relationship”.

“When you read the fact sheet … [there’s] some form of jealousy … or an element of it,” he said.

The police prosecutor opposed Sexton’s bail, saying it was very serious alcohol related violence, which was “largely unprovoked” and there was a “very strong case” against him.

“It’s amazing that these injuries haven’t come out to [be] something worse,” he said.

Mr Shields ultimately refused Sexton bail, saying it was hard to “determine precisely what was the cause” or motivation behind the alleged offences.

The matter will return to the same court next week.