Psychological impact of the alleged victim to be assessed

THE group charged over a brutal alleged attack on Darwin’s Mitchell Street on Christmas Eve will have to wait several more months to learn their fates

The group charged over a brutal alleged attack on Darwin’s Mitchell Street on Christmas Eve, including Kian Wise and Karl Gruber, will have to wait several more months to learn their fates while the psychological impact of the alleged victim is assessed. Picture: Facebook

THE group charged over a brutal alleged attack on Darwin’s Mitchell Street on Christmas Eve will have to wait several more months to learn their fates while the psychological impact of the alleged victim is assessed.

Tayarrah Morris, 25, Karl Gruber, 19, Kian Wise, 20, Duol Gile-Lul, 27, and Maea Tongamoa, 25, all appeared in the Darwin Local Court on Wednesday.

They each stand charged with unlawfully causing serious harm, intending serious harm, engaging in violent conduct and causing any harm.

Gruber and Gile-Lul remain on remand, with Morris, Wise and alleged “ringleader” Tongamoa on bail.

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A medical certificate, previously tendered in court by Tongamoa’s lawyer Peter Maley, showed that the alleged victim of the bashing did not suffer serious physical harm as a result of the alleged attack, potentially jeopardising the prosecution’s charge of unlawfully causing serious harm.

However, prosecutor Cecily Hollingworth told the court yesterday the charge was “still alive” and the prosecution would instead attempt to establish the attack had caused serious psychological harm to the alleged victim.

“The only issue is that the victim has moved back interstate where the first available appointment we have is the first of June for him to be seen by a psychologist,” Ms Hollingworth said.

“So the application today would be to adjourn the matter to a date in mid June to allow for the assessment and a report.”

All five co-accused will next return to court on June 23.

The court has previously been shown CCTV footage of a group attacking a young man, chasing him down when he tried to flee and continuing to punch and kick him until he became unconscious in the early hours of December 24.

The video shows a man, who the prosecution allege is Tongamoa, repeatedly returned to the alleged victim to kick and punch him even after he became unconscious and after several attempts by bystanders to intervene.

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It comes after Gruber’s father, Karl Gruber Senior, was unexpectedly arrested outside the Darwin Local Court after turning up to support his son.

The 50-year-old was arrested for breaching a domestic violence order by attending court with his former partner and Gruber Jr’s mother.

During a recent court appearance, Gruber Snr went on an angry tirade labelling the NT “a corrupt state” calling his arrest “a witch hunt” and the lawyers involved “c****s”.

He will next return to court on May 24.