Former Swannies owner Shane Finnegan jailed for ‘gratuitous’ attack on customer

A Gold Coast bartender has been jailed for a horrific attack on a female customer that left her with shocking injuries, one of which will affect her for life.

Former Swannies owner Shane Finnegan has been jailed for bashing a customer after work. Picture: Glenn Hampson

A BARTENDER requested sexual favours from a customer and then bashed her after he jumped into a taxi with the woman after work.

Shane Finnegan, a former owner of Southport bar Swannies, broke the woman’s nose causing her lifelong breathing problems during the prolonged attack on September 30, 2017.

The 32-year-old was today sentenced in the Southport Magistrates Court to 15 months jail on the charge of assault occasioning bodily harm.

Magistrate John Costanzo said the victim could not breathe out of one of her nostrils for 18 months as a result of being headbutted and will never have the full function of the nostril.

He labelled Finnegan’s actions that night as “senseless gratuitous violence.”

“She suffered pain for a long period of time as a result,” Mr Costanzo said.

“She described it as one long episode of severe depression.”

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The woman was dragged by her hair, headbutted and hit with an elbow by the hospitality worker after he was asked to exit the taxi because of his lewd comments.

A male passenger was left with a finger bending backwards after trying to stop Finnegan.

Finnegan met the woman and her friends while on a shift at Swannies and left with them about 2am.

The court was told it was unclear whether Finnegan was invited into the taxi or forced himself inside.

“Your violence was uncontrolled, gratuitous and absolutely uncalled for,” Mr Costanzo said.

“It was callous.

“After the headbutting, she was quite distressed and in severe pain and in shock.”

The delay in the court proceeding was because Finnegan had left the Gold Coast district because he was being stalked, the court was told.

Finnegan will be released on parole on November 18.

He was also ordered to pay $5000 to the victim.

The court was told Finnegan has done anger management counselling sessions since the offending.