Brothers Matthew and Ryan Tremain sentenced for attacking man inside SkyCity Adelaide casino

Two brothers launched a “reprehensible” attack on a defenceless man inside the Adelaide casino after he offered to physically lift one up, a judge says.

Two brothers who launched a thuggish late-night assault on a “larrikin” inside the casino – leaving him with permanent injuries – have avoided jail time.

Matthew Jeffrey Tremain, 40, of the northern suburbs, and Ryan Thomas James Tremain, 33, of Melbourne, faced the District Court this month after Matthew pleaded guilty to aggravated assault causing harm and Ryan to aggravated recklessly causing harm.

Judge Kristopher Handshin said the brothers attacked the victim as he left the toilets inside SkyCity Adelaide in April 2021, after rising tension boiled over about 1am.

The victim had first walked up to Matthew, a father of two, and suggested he could “physically pick you up”, Judge Handshin said.

CCTV – which caught the entire attack – shows an escalating series of exchanges during which the victim “bent down as if to try and pick you up around the legs but did not do so,” Judge Handshin said.

the SkyCity Adelaide casino. Picture: Brenton Edwards

The interactions culminate as Matthew walked to the bathroom, when the victim jogged over and bizarrely placed his hands on his stomach and “tapped” him.

The court heard Ryan and the victim both then followed Matthew into the bathroom, with CCTV showing Ryan leaving the bathroom a moment later.

The court heard Ryan believed the victim had threatened his brother.

“You, Matthew, say that once in the bathroom (the victim) told you you had ‘f**ked up’ … he apparently said he was going to ‘break your face’,” Judge Handshin said.

The judge said he had “reservations about the threats” attributed to the victim but was prepared to accept “something was said”.

The victim was attacked as he exited the bathroom, with CCTV showing Matthew striking him in the jaw in a “pre-emptive strike”

The victim fell to the casino floor and Ryan then delivered a “forceful” kick to his face, the judge said.

“You, Matthew, then sat atop (the victim) and delivered a flurry of punches … which were completely uncalled for.

“You stopped momentarily as (the victim) began to raise his head and perhaps said something but you then struck him again a number of times before security personnel arrived.”

The victim suffered devastating injuries and “excruciating pain”, requiring a titanium plate in his jaw.

His mouth was wired shut for four weeks, forcing him to survive on liquids, while a later infection left him with a permanent hole in his jaw and missing bone, gum and teeth.

The court heard he was afraid to sleep in case of accidentally causing jolts of pain.

Judge Handshin described their attack as “reprehensible, senseless violence”.

“You both struck (the victim) when he was distracted and defenceless,” he said.

“Even if you thought (the victim) had been behaving in a provocative manner, your explosion of violence was unjustified and inexcusable.”

The brothers’ counsel argued the men had strong work histories and community connections, and had expressed genuine remorse.

Judge Handshin sentenced both to 11 months in jail, suspended for good behaviour bonds for one year.

Originally published as Brothers Matthew and Ryan Tremain sentenced for attacking man inside SkyCity Adelaide casino