CCTV shows the moment pub thug Joel Diamond kicks unsuspecting victim’s head ‘like a football’

A RAT-TAILED loser who kicked an unsuspecting man’s head “like a football” — before his girlfriend struck — sleeps through court hearing. (Disturbing footage)

A RAT-TAILED loser who kicked a man’s head in “like a football” has slept through his sentencing hearing.

Joel Diamond, 30, of Werribee will be free from jail before next footy season after being sentenced to just 14 months in prison for the shocking crime — he has already served 312 days in pre-sentence detention.

The footage of the incident has been obtained by the Herald Sun after launching a legal challenge to have it released.

A dazed Diamond slept throughout his 25 minute sentence for intentionally causing injury and needed to be woken three times.

Had he been awake, he would have heard his victim sustained a fractured skull in the attack, was put in an induced coma for nine days and now suffered a brain injury.

Judge Susan Cohen commented that she was informed by Corrections Victoria that Diamond was now drug free and she accepted that to be true.

Diamond had pleaded not guilty despite having a seemingly obvious role in the attack — if the footage is anything to go by.

A jury last month found him not guilty of the more serious charges of recklessly or intentionally causing serious injury.

Disturbing footage captured from inside Werribee’s Commercial Hotel clearly shows Diamond take a running kick at the unsuspecting man’s head as he bends over to pick something up off the floor.

The 48-year old pub regular had been watching the races in the tavern’s sports bar when he was accused by Diamond’s brother Rhys of looking at Joel’s girlfriend Sarah Elis.

The 19-year old, who is visible in the footage wearing thongs when she kicks the unconscious victim in the head, pleaded guilty to recklessly causing serious injury earlier this year.

She was sentenced to two-and-a-half years in jail with a minimum of 15 months.

During her plea, the court heard Elis had no prior convictions and had been controlled by her bully boyfriend who was released from jail just three months before the attack in April last year.

She had been at the pub with Rhys when the pair got into a verbal argument with the victim, who tried to ignore them.

Elis later attacked the man, punching him twice in the face.

Security kicked the pair out and Elis phoned her boyfriend.

While waiting, Rhys, who was also charged over the attack but acquitted, allegedly convinced security staff to allow him back into the pub to use the toilet.

Once inside he immediately re-engaged his victim, who was now seated on a bar stool.

``Stay there mate, you’ll be right. You’ll get fixed up,’’ he allegedly warned.

His brother arrived shortly later.

Although Diamond was found unsuitable for a community corrections order due to a previous breach, Judge Cohen ordered he serve one for 12-months on his release and perform 25 hours of community work.

In justifying her decision, Judge Cohen said Elis played a more extensive role in the crime than Diamond.

She said although it was likely his kick contributed to the victim’s brain injury, she did not take it into account because it remained unclear about who did the greater damage.

The court heard Diamond had been paranoid at the time due to being stabbed during a home invasion and was upset about the death of his dog.

Judge Cohen accepted Diamond’s attack was “opportunistic and spontaneous”.

But she condemned him for what she described as a callous, brutal and cowardly attack.

“You treated his head like a football,” she said. “Your purpose was to take some action of retribution.”

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