David William Santo sentenced in Townsville Magistrates Court for headbutting a man unconscious

A 63-year-old man was left lying unconscious in a garden bed, covered in his own blood after a brutal attack near the Townsville CBD.

David William Santo – pictured at Victoria Bridge – was sentenced in Townsville Magistrates Court for headbutting a man in his 60s six times until he was unconscious

A lifelong criminal said he was “blackout” drunk when he headbutted a senior man and left him lying unconscious in a garden bed.

David William Santo appeared by videolink in Townsville Magistrates Court on Wednesday for splitting a man’s head open near the Victoria Bridge.

Police prosecutor Lisa Plessius said on the afternoon of February 13, Santo was drinking with a group on Ogden Street in Townsville City when he began arguing with a 63-year-old man.

He quickly became violent and, after ripping off his hat and shirt, shoved the man into a garden bed before picking him up and body-slamming him onto the ground.“ (Santo) was holding the man down before headbutting him with full force six times,” Ms Plessius said.

Thankfully, a bystander intervened and shoved the 40-year-old off the man.

Nearby CCTV captured the 63 year old lying motionless in the garden for eight seconds before it panned away.

Ms Plessius said “blood was seen pouring” from his face, and he had a large gash in his lip that was one centimetre deep.

The attack happened near Victoria Bridge in Townsville City

Police were called and found Santo in a drunken state, slurring and stumbling around and even falling to the ground.

Defence lawyer Byrnes, from Legal Aid Queensland, said Santo’s lengthy history of violence stems from a disadvantaged childhood during which he was exposed to “extreme forms” of abuse.

The court heard Santo was “disgusted” by his behaviour.

Magistrate Viviana Keegan highlighted Santo’s drug and alcohol problems, noting he had been on a “two-week meth binge” in Cairns before arriving in Townsville where he started a “long binge drinking session”.

“You perpetrated significant violence on this gentleman and with quite a serious cut to his lip, the photos certainly back up the facts that there was a lot of blood,” she said.

She acknowledged his childhood trauma and said it was no wonder it had opened a door to alcohol and drug abuse.

Santo pleaded guilty to one charge of seriously assaulting a person over 60.

He was sentenced to two years in jail with a parole release date set for August 13.

The 160 days he spent in pre-sentence custody was declared as time served.

Originally published as David William Santo sentenced in Townsville Magistrates Court for headbutting a man unconscious