Darwin bouncer Hayden Summers to find out his sentence after hitting a US Marine outside a Darwin nightclub

A Darwin bouncer will wait to find out his punishment after unlawfully hitting a US Marine outside a popular CBD nightclub.

A Darwin bouncer will wait to find out his punishment after unlawfully hitting a US Marine outside a popular CBD nightclub.

Hayden Summers, 34, was found guilty of hitting US Marine Glen Thomason outside Monsoons nightclub on April 11, 2021.

Mr Thomason was thrown out of the club before he engaged in a heated argument with the accused.

CCTV footage of the incident showed Mr Thomason yelling, “I’m a trained killer, I will kill you” at Summers.

As the situation escalated Mr Thomason swiped his arm towards Summers, but did not make contact, the footage showed.

The security guard retaliated with a blow that knocked the US Marine to the ground.

Hayden Summers slaps Glen Thomason outside of Monsoons.

Summers initially pleaded not guilty to unlawfully causing serious harm, but was found guilty by a Darwin Supreme Court jury.

The courtroom was filled with friends and family supporting Summers as submissions were read.

Defence lawyer Peter Maley referred to his client as “someone who is well-supported and cared for in the wider community”.

While accepting Summers would need to spend time behind bars, Mr Maley called Summers a prime candidate for rehabilitation through home detention as part of a partially suspended sentence.

“He is someone who is an accomplished sportsman and someone who has worked in a difficult industry for a number of years,” Mr Maley said.

“He has no prior criminal history whatsoever.

“He’s maintained the appropriate security licences up to the time that he was suspended.

“He’s got three kids and a wife.

“He wants to look at other work options and wants to get into a managerial role organising events.

“He’s done with being punched in the head and knocked down.

“There was an attempt to de-escalate the situation (from Summers).

“He tells the other security guard to go back inside and gestures for (Thomason) to go to the police station.

“His prospects of rehabilitation are good, they’re very good.”

Hayden Summers walks out of the Territory Supreme Court.

Crown prosecutor Ian Rowbottom instead called for a significant jail term saying the blow could have killed Mr Thomason.

“It is only with luck that we are not facing and dealing with a manslaughter case,” Mr Rowbottom said.

“The reality of that punch is that it was found by the jury to be unlawful.

“This is a case where the severity of the injuries, despite whatever Mr Thomason said, the victim did not deserve.

“This must be a situation for general deterrence. This is a situation that must provide a significant period of imprisonment and a period actually served.”

Summers will return to the Darwin Supreme Court for sentencing at a later date.