Simon Prakash faces Northern Territory Supreme Court over Alice Springs assault where dad was beaten in front of daughter

An armed Victorian unleashed a brutal assault on an unwary dad who was spending time with his daughter at an Alice Springs park.

A father was brutally beaten in front of his daughter in an Alice Springs park, with the brazen armed-assailant shattering the victim’s bone in multiple places.

Simon Prakash faced the Northern Territory Supreme Court on January 13, pleading guilty to one charge of unlawfully causing injury.

The Victorian resident was sentenced to 18 months in jail and is expected to return to his home country of India soon.

Justice John Burns said Prakash randomly chose the victim of the February 2018 attack.

He used a weapon in what the court heard was an “unprovoked” assault with “an element of persistence”.

The victim was left with multiple fractures in his forearm, needing extensive surgery to repair the damage.

He now has a scar on the limb, which is likely to be a forever reminder of the assault.

“The offence occurred at midday in a public park in the presence of the victim’s daughter,” Justice Burns said.

“The offence was unprovoked and included the use of a weapon.

“Whilst the offence was of relatively limited duration, it consisted of three separate and deliberate strikes that occurred with little warning.

“This is a serious example of an assault, which is aggravated by the use of a weapon, was unprovoked and had an element of persistence.”

A psychiatrist’s report said Prakash was experiencing mental health problems at the time of the attack.

The court heard Prakash committed two minor crimes in the days before the assault but he otherwise had a clear criminal history.

He was sentenced to 18 months in prison immediately suspended for 15 months.

Originally published as Simon Prakash faces Northern Territory Supreme Court over Alice Springs assault where dad was beaten in front of daughter