Teenage boy faces court after Central Queensland party punch-up

A teenager with ambitions to get into the army “put his entire future at risk” by belting up another male at a Central Queensland party.

A teenager has faced Biloela court after he violently assaulted another man at a Moura party. Generic image.

Seth Francis Hoffman was at a Moura party when he got fed up with another male making derogatory comments to his female friend and touching her on the bum.

The 18-year-old took matters into his own hands and punched the other male in the side of the head, causing him to fall to the floor.

Then Hoffman “stood over” the man and punched him “two or three times” to the head and face.

Other people present yelled at Hoffman to “stop” and he walked away from the man he had attacked.

The victim sustained a small mouth laceration, as well as facial bruising and swelling, but was cleared of any fractures.

In Biloela Magistrates Court on August 9, Hoffman pleaded guilty to unlawful assault.

Police prosecutor Kelvin Boyd said Hoffman and his victim did not know each other.

The court heard that Hoffman had no criminal history.

The assault victim reported the incident to police. Generic image.

Solicitor Bianca Wieland said throughout the night of the incident on June 23, the victim had been making “very derogatory comments” to Hoffman’s female friend.

“He (victim) had also been regularly touching (her) and he had slapped her on the arse several times,” Ms Wieland said.

The solicitor said Hoffman could see that these actions had made the woman uncomfortable and he assaulted the other man.

The court heard that Hoffman had ambitions to get into the army and Ms Wieland said he had “put his entire future at risk” because of his offending.

Before handing down penalty, Magistrate Philippa Beckinsale told Hoffman he was “very lucky” he was not before the court on an assault occasioning bodily harm charge.

She added that people die from these sorts of assaults.

Ms Beckinsale placed Hoffman on 15 months’ probation and no conviction was recorded.

Originally published as Teenage boy faces court after Central Queensland party punch-up