Matthew Walker: Man pleads guilty to one-punch attacks at Burleigh, Broadbeach

A man attacked an unsuspecting stranger from behind at a Gold Coast tram stop only weeks after an unprovoked one-punch assault that left his victim unconscious. Read what happened in court.

A man attacked an unsuspecting stranger from behind at a Gold Coast tram stop only weeks after an unprovoked one-punch assault that left his victim unconscious on the ground.

Matthew Walker’s first target was a co-worker during birthday celebrations at a Burleigh pub on April 16 last year.

Southport District Court was told that after the other man declined Walker’s request to stay at his house, Walker punched him in the head from behind, causing him to fall and hit his head on the ground. Walker turned around and left.

It was only weeks later that Walker struck again, this time zeroing in on his victim as they exited a tram at the Broadbeach North stop.

Prosecutor Amelia Baker-Smith said Walker approached from behind as the other man was trying to tap off and punched him on the right side of his face, knocking him to the ground.

Ms Baker-Smith said the man hit his head on a billboard as he fell.

The court was told Walker’s first victim required surgery after suffering a fractured jaw and contusion to the back of his head.

The second man’s jaw was also fractured, with a victim impact statement tendered to the court revealing the attack had significant mental and physical effects on him.

It was heard Walker had been sentenced in 2013 for a grievous bodily harm offence, though most of the 35-year-old’s criminal history was drug-related.

Defence barrister Ambyr Cousen, instructed by TWC Lawyers, said Walker’s offending was largely driven by his methylamphetamine use, which caused him to suffer paranoia and delusions.

Ms Cousen told the court the father of two had taken significant strides in his rehabilitation while in jail and would have a stable home and job upon his release.

Judge Rowan Jackson slammed Walker’s conduct as “cowardly in the extreme”, saying his violence had no purpose or provocation.

“You’re very lucky that those injuries were not worse, and you’re especially lucky that you didn’t kill him knocking him down onto the concrete unconscious like that,” Judge Jackson said.

“What is readily apparent is that if you don’t take those (rehabilitative) steps to turn it around, you’re going to continue to violently offend and spend most of the rest of your life in prison, and nobody wants that – especially you.”

Walker pleaded guilty to one count each of grievous bodily harm and assault occasioning bodily harm.

He was sentenced to three years’ jail with immediate parole release, having already served a year in custody.