Frankston coward-punch thug Ryan Wells walks from court on bail
A gutless thug who king hit an unsuspecting victim on a Frankston street has walked from court barely an hour after being sentenced to jail. The tradie appealed his prison term despite the magistrate saying it was “sheer luck” his victim didn’t die.
South East
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One-punch thug Ryan Wells has walked from court barely an hour after being handed a jail term for king hitting an unsuspecting victim on a Frankston street.
Wells, 33, was this afternoon sentenced to six months’ jail for the unprovoked attack on July 26 last year which left the hapless victim lying on the ground with a badly smashed face.
But the cowardly thug immediately appealed the sentence and was granted bail.
Frankston Magistrates’ Court heard how Wells launched the elbow attack on the man after binge drinking in a nearby pub, laughing as he left the man on the ground.
He had pleaded guilty to recklessly causing injury and affray at an earlier hearing, which had details suppressed because of fears for his safety.
Magistrate Timothy Gattuso said such offending was “intolerable”.
“The force used was so significant he (the victim) was knocked clean off the ground,” Mr Gattuso said.
“He was completely defenceless, no risk to you.
“It was sheer luck it did not result in a coward punch homicide.”
The court heard Wells had downed 10 schooners of beer and five bourbons at The Grand Hotel before leaving with his brother and another unidentified man and coming across his unsuspecting victim.
When CCTV of the one-punch attack was released it sparked public outrage, which was heightened further when Wells was later granted bail.
The court heard Wells eventually handed himself in to police but initially claimed the attack was in self-defence and that his victim had looked at him with “crazy eyes”.
He told police he feared the man was going to pull a knife from his pockets.
Wells’ defence lawyer Pardeep Tiwana said his client had done exceptionally well on bail, attending counselling session to deal with drug and alcohol addiction.
He said his client had clean drug screens and had not drunk alcohol, and his behaviour was a traumatic response to a serious car accident that exacerbated his substance abuse.
Mr Tiwana said he feared for Wells’ wellbeing if he was placed into custody due to serious online threats made to his client.
Wells had to move house and shut down his business due to the abuse, he said.
But Mr Gattuso said the community reaction was symbolic of the way the public viewed one-punch attacks.
“It highlights public outrage of your conduct,” he said.
“Random street violence … is a scourge on our society.
“It has profound and enduring consequences.”
He accepted Wells was remorseful for his actions, had good prospects of rehabilitation and had “done everything he can to get his life back on track”.
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But he said the community expectation of the denunciation of one-punch attacks was a factor that had to be taken into account.
“Your effort on bail have been commendable (but) there is no alternative to a period of imprisonment,” he said.
Wells was sentenced to six months in jail with an 18-month community corrections order and a two-year ban from attending licensed venues, but immediately appealed the sentence.
Wells will face an appeal hearing in the County Court on August 20.