Group pleaded guilty to attack on Christies Beach restaurant owner

The men who violently stabbed a Christies Beach restaurant owner in an ambush attack have been warned by a judge to stay out of trouble.

A group who attacked a Christies Beach restaurant owner, leaving him with restricted vision, were told by a judge to stay out of trouble.

Tyrone Bradley Thompson, 22, Connar Aiden Pails, 21, and Aydin Lenart, 21, came clean at the start of their trial and pleaded guilty to causing harm with intent.

Their co-accused, Baylee Luke Pickett, 21, was previously sentenced to two years home detention after pleading guilty to the same offence.

The four men, along with a 17-year-old, attacked the owner of the Southern Palace Chinese restaurant on Gulfview Rd, Christies Beach.

Connar Pails pleaded guilty to causing harm with intent. Photo: Facebook

Baylee Pickett was sentenced to home detention for his role. Photo: Facebook

Mark Alessandrini, for the prosecution, told the court during Pickett’s sentencing submissions that the victim was cutting up meat about 11pm on January 28 when he heard the men outside.

Tyrone Thompson not guilty to causing harm with intent. Photo: Facebook

He put a meat cleaver in his pocket and confronted the men, who had been allegedly marking graffiti on his window.

It appeared the graffiti said “pay ya tick”.

“The victim says he was then surrounded by the five males and he brandished the meat cleaver and was swinging it effectively to dissuade them from coming closer to him,” Mr Alessandrini said.

The court heard the victim was then chased by the men, before he was stabbed in the hand, which required 40 stitches.

Mr Alessandrini said the victim continued to suffer from a sunken eye, resulting in restricted vision.

The court heard the victim, who was not known to any of the men, also lost his $10,000 gold necklace during the incident.

The words, ‘pay ya tick’ were graffitied on the front of the restaurant building. Picture: Katrina Muhsin/10 News First

The owner was taken to hospital with serious injuries after he was stabbed and beaten out the front of his restaurant. Picture: Katrina Muhsin/10 NEWS FIRST

The men were due to face sentencing submissions last month but defence counsel, Nick Vadasz asked for an adjournment to obtain a psychological evaluation for his client.

A prosecutor told the court it wasn’t “entirely clear” what defendant did what during the attack but it was clear the victim had tried to get away and the group had then re-attacked.

Judge Anthony Allen reminded the men not to get into trouble over the next two months and adjourned the charges until August.

Originally published as Group pleaded guilty to attack on Christies Beach restaurant owner