Dorion Smith, Garreth Murphy jailed over brutal attack on man outside Pimpama Tavern

Two men who knocked their victim unconscious in a vicious pub attack have claimed they were defending their girlfriends. Watch the shocking footage here.

Two Gold Coast men who beat another man unconscious in a vicious, unprovoked attack in a pub car park have claimed they were defending their girlfriends.

Dorion Smith, 20, and Garreth Charles Murphy, 29, got into an argument with a man smoking outside Pimpama Tavern just after 1am on March 12.

The pair were combative and gesturing aggressively until Smith suddenly elbowed the victim in the face, Southport Magistrates Court was told.

Police prosecutor Kimberly Murphy (no relation to the offender) said Smith grabbed the victim’s hair and repeatedly punched his face, with Murphy also landing several blows to his head and ripping his shirt off.

CCTV footage played in court showed the pair attacking the man even after he fell.

Dorion Smith (20, left) and Garreth Charles Murphy (29, right) have been sentenced to jail for a 'vicious' attack on another man outside the Pimpama Tavern. Picture: Queensland Police

“As the victim is attempting to get back on his feet, Smith kicks him in the face, causing the victim to lose consciousness and fall on his back,” Sen Const Murphy said.

The pair fled the scene in Murphy’s car.

Their victim’s face was so badly beaten one eye was swollen shut, and he had several cuts to his nose and the inside of his mouth.

Neither of the offenders would participate in a police interview after the assault was reported.

Murphy was also busted trying to dodge police patrols while driving with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.125 in an unrelated incident at Worongary on April 15.

Both men had previous convictions for alcohol-related violence on their criminal histories, the court was told.

Defence lawyer Ashkan Tai said Murphy had since relocated to New South Wales to live with his girlfriend and her children, while Smith remained on the Gold Coast and had played rugby league for the Mudgereeba Redbacks for 10 years.

He said the childhood friends claimed the victim wolf-whistled at their partners earlier that night and told them as they were leaving the pub: “You two b**ches can now take your b**ches home,”

“My clients should have driven away, they had the ability, but for that failure to do so they will pay today,” Mr Tai said.

Magistrate Jane Bentley told Smith and Murphy time behind bars was a necessary punishment for the “vicious, prolonged, (and) undefended” attack, even taking into account subsequent rehabilitation attempts.

Both men pleaded guilty to one count of assault occasioning bodily harm.

Murphy pleaded guilty to a further one count each of drink driving and failing to comply with a requirement to stop.

Smith was sentenced to nine months’ jail, to be suspended for 18 months after serving two months in custody.

Murphy was sentenced to 12 months’ jail, to be suspended for 18 months after serving three months. He was also fined $300 and disqualified from driving for three months.

Both men were ordered to pay $1000 in compensation to the victim.