Surfers bus driver bashing: Ex-Comanchero bikie Liam Scorsese jailed

FORMER Comanchero bikie associate Liam Scorsese has been jailed for a sickening attack on a bus driver in Surfers Paradise where he taunted ‘I know exactly who you are and we’ll come to your house. Do you understand?’

FORMER Comanchero bikie associate Liam Scorsese has been sentenced to jail over a violent attack on a bus driver in Surfers Paradise last year.

Scorsese, 30, pleaded guilty in the Southport Magistrates Court to assault occasioning bodily harm after he punched the driver of a tourist bus in the jaw during a confrontation over parking on the Glitter Strip last August.

He also pleaded guilty to resisting arrest and obstructing police officers after they tried to control him on Savoy Drive, Broadbeach Waters, and in the back of an ambulance, after he stabbed himself several times in the chest in December 2016.

Liam Scorsese has been sentenced to a head sentence of 18 month’s jail but will be released on parole after three months have been served after pleading guilty to the bashing of a bus driver in Surfers.

Scorsese was sentenced to a head sentence of 18 months’ jail but will be released on parole in November, after three months have been served.

The court heard Scorsese and another man began abusing a bus driver carrying a load of international passengers on Cavill Ave about 5pm on August 21 after they had illegally parked their car in the bus zone.

The court heard the driver asked the men: “Excuse me, are you going to be much longer?” before they walked across the road yelling abuse and Scorsese punched the man in the jaw and he fell to the ground.

CCTV vision of the alleged assault on a bus driver in Surfers Paradise. Photo: Supplied

When the driver returned to the bus to try and find his phone to contact police, the pair returned.
The court was told the other man threatened the driver saying: “Hey brother, if you ring the (expletive) police I’ve got your numberplate. I know exactly who you are and we’ll come to your house. Do you understand?”

Scorsese then grabbed the driver by the legs and dragged him out of the bus, causing him to hit his head several times on the steps, the court was told.

It wasn’t until three men ran across the road to the driver’s aid that Scorsese and the other man fled the scene.

CCTV vision of the alleged assault on a bus driver in Surfers Paradise. Photo: Supplied

The court heard Scorsese had also resisted arrest after being involved in a traffic accident in Broadbeach Waters, about four months after the assault on the bus driver.

He abused police and ambulance officers and had to be restrained on the way to hospital after he stabbed himself in the chest three times following a relationship breakdown, the court heard.

Defence barrister Angus Edwards said Scorsese was “remorseful, indeed ashamed” of his actions in both instances.

He said he was not in a stable psychiatric state when he stabbed himself and assaulted police.

Mr Edwards said Scorsese had undergone counselling, including an anger management course, and was abstaining from drugs and alcohol.

Magistrate Andrew Sinclair said Scorsese had attacked a bus driver who had not provoked the assault.

“It took place in a very public place, in the centre of tourist mecca,” he said.

“He was doing nothing but parking his vehicle ... it was you that inflicted serious violence.”
Mr Sinclair conceded Scorsese was not “behaving normally” on the day he assaulted the police officers.

Scorsese was ordered to pay a total of $3000 compensation to all officers involved in the Savoy Drive incident.

He pleaded guilty to possessing a quantity of testosterone in Southport in August last year.

Outside court, defence lawyer Ashkan Tai said Scorsese was not a member of the Comanchero Outlaw Motorcycle Gang.

“He is extremely sorry for what the driver had to go through but is happy to put everything behind him,” Mr Tai said.

“Mr Scorsese’s conduct had nothing to do with any outlaw motorcycle club.”