Patrick Phyland: Dad-of-two sentenced after Ringwood nightclub assault

A father of two who got caught up in a huge brawl at a Ringwood nightclub has learnt his fate after he punched another man he thought was laughing at the situation.

Patrick Phyland was supported by his mother as he left Ringwood Magistrates' Court after being sentenced on January 13, 2023. Picture: Kiel Egging.

A father of two who was trying to break up a huge brawl at a Ringwood nightclub got irked by another clubber he saw laughing near the bar and punched him in the face, a court has heard.

Patrick Phyland, a 26-year-old carpenter, pleaded guilty to assault at the Ringwood Magistrates’ Court on January 13.

Phyland became involved in a brawl at Ringwood’s former Orange Whip nightclub, now known as Void, on May 1, 2021.

The court heard the brawl started in the club about 1.30am, spilt out onto the street, and then flared up again inside the club.

Phyland tried to pull mates away who had become involved in the scuffle.

The former Orange Whip nightclub on Maroondah Highway in Ringwood, which closed in mid-2021 and his since reopened as Void nightclub.

He then noticed another person near the nightclub’s bar who he thought was laughing at the incident and punched him in the face, leaving the victim with a split lip.

“Basically I was having drinks with a couple of friends, my friend got king hit and that’s what started the fight,” Phyland told Magistrate Jan Maclean.

“I separated those two, then security got involved... and that other guy was standing there laughing.

“I was angry at the time and thought there was no real reason for it (the laughing).”

Phyland, who was supported in court by his mother, told Ms Maclean he had stopped drinking and was focusing more on supporting his two children following the incident.

The court heard Phyland was given a community corrections order for another matter in 2016, and Ringwood prosecutor first constable Kevin Skipworth recommended a similar sentence despite his rehabilitation efforts, saying Phyland’s punch could have had a fatal outcome.

Despite condemning Phyland’s attack, Ms Maclean said Phyland’s “involvement in the broader melee seems to have been trying to break it up as best he could, which also has to be taken into account”.

She fined Phyland $800 with a conviction.