Ex-soldier who bashed ‘good Samaritan’ went on to breach bail by drinking and clubbing

A former soldier who bashed a ‘good Samaritan’ in a ‘vicious, unprovoked, relentless attack’ before breaching his bail by drinking and clubbing will now spend his first week in jail.

Former soldier Clarke Rowan pleaded guilty in the Supreme Court to aggravated assault. Picture: Supplied

A FORMER soldier who bashed a “good Samaritan” in a “vicious, unprovoked, relentless attack” before breaching his bail by drinking and clubbing will spend his first week in jail more than a year after the assault.

Clarke Ben Rowan, 24, pleaded guilty in the Supreme Court on Wednesday to a string of offences including aggravated assault following the incident in October 2018.

Crown prosecutor Stephen Geary said Rowan had been removed from Monsoons nightclub and tried to get back in several times before leaving to catch a taxi in the early hours of October 1.

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Mr Geary said Rowan waved down the victim’s taxi and asked to be driven to Palmerston.

The driver was reluctant to take the long fare but agreed when Rowan told him he had a wife and children at home that he needed to get back to.

Rowan fell asleep on the way and when they arrived the victim got out and tried to wake him but he became aggressive and proceeded to get out of the car and repeatedly punch and kick him.

Former soldier Clarke Rowan will return to court for sentencing next week. Picture: Supplied

Mr Geary said the driver begged Rowan to stop hitting him and said “Brother why are you doing this? I just wanted to help you get to your family,” until he “finally stopped” and apologised.

Rowan then walked the victim back to the car and asked to be driven to a second location and gave him directions until the driver pulled over and he proceeded to assault him again, saying “I will stab you” and “I will kill you”.

During the second assault, Rowan again punched the man and choked him in a headlock until he fell unconscious before getting out and running away.

Rowan was subsequently granted bail but breached his conditions twice, once by breaking a curfew to again attend Monsoons and once by recording a blood-alcohol reading 0.143.

In his submissions, Mr Geary urged Justice Anthony Graham to disregard Rowan’s apology on the night, saying he had shown “no mercy whatsoever”.

“We’re here in court today and it’s time to pay the full fare and the full fare includes a significant head sentence and actual time in jail,” he said.

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In revoking Rowan’s bail, Justice Graham said there was “no question” he would spend more time behind bars.

“This was a vicious, unprovoked, relentless attack on a poor man who was really a good Samaritan and there will be a price to pay,” he said.

Rowan’s lawyer, Chrissy McConnel will make further submissions when the matter returns to court on March 11 but said her client did not have a history of violence and his actions on the night were “quite inexplicable”.