Man fronts court after ‘celebrating’ coward punch during Alice Springs street brawl

THE behaviour of a man who publicly celebrated knocking another man out during a street brawl has been condemned in court

THE behaviour of a man who publicly celebrated knocking another man out during a street brawl has been condemned by a judge in court.

Kim Riley, 31, pleaded guilty to recklessly causing serious harm in Alice Springs Local Court after he punched a man during a street brawl which broke out between about eight people late last year.

The court heard Riley was fighting with another man on the corner of Todd St and Gregory Terrace in the early hours of October 31 before the victim stepped in and tried to break it up.

Riley punched the victim in the chest, to which he retaliated and punched back.

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All parties walked away from one another before reconvening shortly after, where witnesses got involved, and started arguing again.

The victim walked away when Riley approached him and punched him in the jaw, which caused him to fall on the ground and hit his head.

“After knocking the victim unconscious the defendant and another male congratulated each other and high-fived and smiled,” crown prosecutor Leah Tomkins said.

The court heard the defendant attempted to run away from police when they arrived.

The incident was captured on police CCTV.

Judge Greg Borchers said Riley was “a drug user” who had spent nearly two years in jail of his four years living in the Territory.

“Your client’s callous indifference, in fact celebration, in the streets that he knocked a person to the ground and unconscious indicates a total lack of compassion,” Judge Borchers said.

“He celebrated the fact that he knocked a man down.

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“He celebrated the circumstances which this nation has been concerned about – the one punch coward who knocks a person out and kills them, and your client celebrated.

“He showed no remorse for the victim at all.”

Defence lawyer Alecia Buchanan said Riley had no previous violent assaults.

Riley is due to be sentenced on Friday.

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