Steve Ernest Reynolds, 27, ran down victim in his car, punched and kicked him while he was on the ground

A man who drove at a young man and then assaulted him while he was on the ground, punching and kicking him in the head, claimed he just ‘snapped’.

A man who drove at a young man and then assaulted him while he was on the ground claimed he just ‘snapped’.

Steve Ernest Reynolds, 27, was sentenced in Rockhampton District Court on November 26 after pleading guilty on November 12 to one count of dangerous operation of a motor vehicle causing grievous bodily harm and one of assault occasioning bodily harm.

Crown prosecutor Samantha O’Rourke said Reynolds carried out a cowardly attack on an already injured man, 18, after chasing him by car in a suburban area.

She said the victim had a dispute with Reynolds’ brother, who the victim was neighbours with.

She said on the day, July 5, 2020, the victim had been at the brother’s house but declined to talk to him until he was sober.
Ms O’Rourke said however, the victim later returned to the address with his mother, but the defendant’s brother wasn’t there.

She said they walked down the street, heading home when they heard a car containing the defendant, his brother and two others drive into the street.

Ms O’Rourke said the men in the car were on the lookout for the victim and when they spotted him, three of the men, including Reynolds, got out of the car.

Defence barrister Scott Moon

She said Reynolds’ brother called out to the victim to fight while another in the group was armed with a golf club.

Ms O’Rourke said the brother hit the victim who reacted and Reynolds meanwhile yelled out “you better knock him out or I will”.

She said the victim’s mother told the victim to run having heard Reynolds’ threaten to kill the victim.

Ms O’Rourke said the victim fled but Reynolds “gave chase, getting in his car and chasing after him”.

She said as the victim reached his driveway, Reynolds pulled into it, hitting the victim in the back of the legs.

The victim fell to the ground and Reynolds continued to threaten him.

As the victim tried to walk away, hobbling, Reynolds punched him repeatedly in the head before the victim collapsed to the ground and Reynolds then kicked him in the face three times.

It was not the first time Reynolds had been convicted for dangerous operation of a motor vehicle, having been sentenced in April 2015 after losing control of his vehicle while trying to evade police by speeding and doing a 180 degree turn before driving at police and causing them to take evasive action.

It was also not the first time he had been convicted for an AOBH offence, after punching a taxi driver in the head and being sentenced in June 2015.

Reynolds was also convicted of careless driving in 2018 after he drove into a power pole and injured himself.

Judge Paul Smith

Defence barrister Scott Moon said his client had a “complete and utter over-reaction”, describing his mind as having “snapped”.

He said Reynolds, the youngest of seven, only went to year eight in school but had attempted to do year 10 via TAFE.

He said Reynolds had worked in hospitality, tree lopping and as a trolley runner.

Mr Moon said while Reynolds admitted he had a problem with alcohol, there were no allegations he had been drinking on this night.

He said his client started drinking alcohol when he was 10 years old and had been on medications for anxiety and depression while held on remand.

Mr Moon said Reynolds, who tested positive to methamphetamines and marijuana while on probation, had been using marijuana since his teens and had been involved with meth in the past two years.

He said Reynolds had tried to access rehabilitation services but had a number of roadblocks, including Covid’s impact on the region in March 2020, being in custody since July 2020 and “being exposed to the disturbance at Capricornia” in October.

Judge Paul Smith said Reynolds actions were “terrible”, “running down somebody over tobacco”.

He sentenced Reynolds, having taken into account the latest advice about parole board application delays being about six months, to 2.5 years prison, declared 494 days presentence custody with immediate parole release and disqualified him from driving for 18 months.

Originally published as Steve Ernest Reynolds, 27, ran down victim in his car, punched and kicked him while he was on the ground