Jason Devsam: Robina man guilty of serious assault on a person aged 60 or older

A Gold Coast rideshare driver launched a savage attack on a 76-year-old man in response to the most minor of provocations, leaving the septuagenarian with a broken wrist and shattered dentures.

Robina rideshare driver Jason Frank Devsam, 30. Picture: Alex Treacy

A Gold Coast rideshare driver launched a savage attack on a 76-year-old man in response to the most minor of provocations, leaving the septuagenarian with a broken wrist and shattered dentures, a court has heard.

Robina man Jason Frank Devsam, 30, appeared in Southport Magistrates Court on Tuesday where he pleaded guilty to a single charge of serious assault of a person over the age of 60.

The offence was committed about 12pm on November 13 last year at Carrara’s Riverside Home Park, located off Nerang Broadbeach Rd next to People First Stadium.

Devsam was dropping off a fare outside of the Kool Beanz SUNS Carrara childcare centre, ahead of that evening’s Pearl Jam concert at the stadium, when a passenger’s opened door came close to striking the victim’s vehicle as it attempted to pass on the right.

The victim and his wife honked to alert Devsam of the danger and they continued down Nerang Broadbeach Rd and into Riverside, a housing estate for people aged 50 and over, into which they were followed by Devsam.

Riverside Home Park at Carrara, where Devlin assaulted a resident. Picture: Riverside Home Park

The victim and his wife parked up at the estate’s community centre on Second Ave to check the mail, and Devsam pulled in behind them, the court heard.

The victim approached Devsam and told him through the rideshare driver’s window he couldn’t be there, as it was a private estate, and a verbal disagreement ensued.

Devsam exited his vehicle and pushed the elderly man firmly with both hands, causing the victim to pitch forward and fall, face down, onto the ground.

The defendant got in his car to leave, but then thought better of it, returned to where the man was lying, and pitched a rock at the prostrate man and his partner, narrowly missing them.

He then returned to his vehicle and drove off.

The court heard the victim suffered a fractured right wrist, and bruising and lacerations, and his dentures were shattered and prescription glasses crushed.

Devsam was subsequently summoned to Robina Police Station, where he conceded to investigators it was a “mistake” to follow the other car into the estate, but said he felt threatened once the older man sidled up to his window and allegedly began slapping the roof of his car.

Defence lawyer Nic Tobin told the court his client, who had no previous criminal history, maintained he felt threatened when the 76-year-old slapped the roof of his car, but the assault represented a “brain fade”.

He said his client grew up on the Gold Coast and earnt a degree in mechanical engineering from Griffith University, but had been unable to find work in that field.

His client was now driving for Uber’s competitor, DiDi, Mr Tobin added.

Devsam was placed on nine months’ probation.

No conviction was recorded, on the basis Devsam was still hopeful of obtaining work as an engineer.