Respected worker jailed over ‘cowardly’ assault of ex-colleague that could have led to the loss of his arm

A RESPECTED member of the community drank up to 14 drinks the night he ‘cowardly’ pushed an ex-colleague off a stool causing him injuries that could have led to the loss of his arm, a court has heard

Bojangles Saloon ... a respected member of the community drank up to 14 drinks the night he ‘cowardly’ pushed an ex-colleague off a chair, a court has heard

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AN ALICE Springs carpenter and respected member of the community drank up to 14 drinks the night he “cowardly” pushed an ex-colleague for no reason, a court has heard.

Derryn Dean, 39, pleaded guilty to causing serious harm to a man, 50, in the Supreme Court.

The court heard the pair had known each other prior, and worked together previously.

On July 12, 2019 the men attended Bojangles Saloon in Todd Street, Alice Springs, separately and had both been drinking.

Just after midnight, Dean approached the victim, who said Dean was “in his face” and made comments to him like, “You’re gutless,” and “You’re no good at work.”

“He said that you bragged that you had stolen his job,” Justice Graham Hiley said.

Justice Hiley said Dean forcefully pushed the man off his stool, who fell to the ground and hit his head hard on the concrete floor ground.

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He broke his right arm as a result of the push and also had a laceration to his right eyebrow.

Then there was some push and shove between the two men before security intervened.

Justice Hiley said the victim said he “had never been in so much pain in his life”, and underwent numerous surgeries following the incident.

“It is agreed that he could have lost his right arm if the fasciotomy had not been performed, and that if the right distal radius had not been repaired by the fixation of the screws and plate, he would have continued to have ongoing pain and also inability to use his right wrist.”

The court heard as of March this year the man still suffered mental, emotional and physical impacts as a result of the incident.

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Justice Hiley said it was “totally unprovoked and it really constituted a cowardly push by you”.

The court heard Dean was held in high esteem by the community with numerous positive references, had an “excellent work history” and often contributed “significantly to the community through volunteer work and fundraising”.

Dean was sentenced to 18 months’ imprisonment, suspended after two weeks.

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