Ex-soldier who bashed taxi driver appeals jail sentence

A FORMER soldier who brutally bashed a taxi driver in a ‘vicious, unprovoked, relentless attack’ is appealing his jail sentence, saying it should have been partially suspended.

Former soldier Clarke Rowan pleaded guilty in the Supreme Court to aggravated assault for bashing a taxi driver in 2018. Picture: Supplied

• Ex-soldier jailed for ‘thuggish’ attack on ‘good Samaritan’ taxi driver who was ‘just trying to help’
• Ex-soldier who bashed ‘good Samaritan’ went on to breach bail by drinking and clubbing

A FORMER soldier who brutally bashed a taxi driver in a “vicious, unprovoked, relentless attack” is appealing his jail sentence, saying it should have been partially suspended.

Clarke Ben Rowan, now 25, was sentenced in May after pleading guilty to a string of offences including aggravated assault and making a threat to kill in relation to the attack in October 2018.

He was given a three-year prison sentence with a non-parole period of 18 months.

Rowan’s lawyer Ambrith Abayasekara told the court the sentence was “manifestly excessive” in that the judge “declined” to suspend part of it.

Mr Abayasekara said there were “a range of factors which point towards a partially suspended sentence” including the fact that his client was only 24 at the time of the offending.

“He was 24, still a young man. He had no relevant priors,” he said.

Former soldier Clarke Rowan pleaded guilty in the Supreme Court to aggravated assault for bashing a taxi driver in 2018. Picture: Supplied

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Rowan was kicked out of Monsoons in Darwin CBD in the early hours of October 1, 2018 and waved down a taxi.

He fell asleep on the ride home and when the driver tried to wake him once they arrived at the destination Rowan became aggressive and repeatedly kicked and punched him.

The driver begged Rowan to stop hitting him 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 breaking a curfew to again go to Monsoons and once recording a blood-alcohol reading 0.143.

Crown prosecutor David Castor said although Rowan wants to be released to attend residential rehab, he has only recently expressed an interest in doing so.

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“The applicant in the first instance did not consider he had an alcohol problem,” Mr Castor said.

“It has had it’s desired effect, he had that opportunity in prison to realise there is a problem in need of addressing.”

Criminal Court of Appeal Justices Brownhill, Southwood and Riley will hand down their decision on a date to be set.

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