Christopher Raymond Hearn-Saffy sentenced in Roma Magistrates Court over brawls

An organised fight to settle a years-old vendetta resulted in a 31-year-old man spending almost three months behind bars. DETAILS.

Christopher Raymond Hearn-Saffy sentenced after brawls in Roma.

After spending 94 days in pre-sentence custody, a Roma man has been released, as details of the violent brawls he was involved in emerged in court.

Christopher Raymond Hearn-Saffy, 31, pleaded guilty in Roma Magistrates Court on October 1 to two charges of affray and one of threatening violence as he appeared by videolink in the country courthouse.

Until that date, Hearn-Saffy had spent 94 days in pre-sentence custody, after his involvement in two organised fights around Roma which reportedly related to unsettled scores from an incident which transpired years ago.

Police prosecutor Sergeant Ellysha Geddes told the court police were called to Foott St, Roma on June 27, after reports of a disturbance in the area.

Sergeant Geddes said as police approached, a crowd scattered into surrounding properties and into cars.

As police doorknocked the neighbourhood asking for information, no one was forthcoming, but eventually footage of what had transpired was given to police.

Sergeant Geddes said Hearn-Saffy arrived at the scene, clad in shorts and sneakers and proceeded to jump and stretch in what seemed like a warm up.

Residents filtered down until about 20 in total stood in the area, until another man arrived on foot and a brouhaha between him, Hearn-Saffy, and the defendant’s cousin ensued.

Two days later, Hearn-Saffy attended an address on Holland St with a group of comrades, armed with an Esky, a bottle filled with a clear liquid, trash bags and lighters.

Sergeant Geddes said on that occasion the group arrived at the address and threatened to burn the house down before one of the occupants was beat up.

Police were called, and Hearn-Saffy and his co-accused were taken into police custody.

Two of Hearn-Saffy’s co-accused in that event have had their matters finalised.

Layla Lee Joyce Fraser was sentenced to 54 days imprisonment for affray, forcible entry and threatening violence, while Lachlan James Hearn was sentenced to 66 days imprisonment for affray, forcible entry and threatening violence.

Hearn-Saffy’s representative, Nathan Bouchier said the 31-year-old’s actions exist in the context of a tumultuous past.

“There has been some bad blood for quite a long period of time between two groups … which appears to go back quite a few years to an incident that happened in Cunnamulla,” Mr Bouchier said.

He said the 31-year-old came from a troubled background, with a childhood riddled with violence and an early adulthood addled by substance abuse.

However, Mr Bouchier said Hearn-Saffy does have some prospects of employment in the future, and is making real changes to turn his life around.

While no complaints of assault were made to police in either of the matters, magistrate Michael Wood still denounced the violence.

“It is vigilante type behaviour and is warranting significant punishment by this court,” Mr Wood said.

Hearn-Saffy was sentenced to 94 days imprisonment, which he had entirely served in pre-sentence custody.

Originally published as Christopher Raymond Hearn-Saffy sentenced in Roma Magistrates Court over brawls