NSW Premier Mike Baird and his Liberal State Government are no strangers to severe criticism over their highly contentious and doggedly held-to Lockout Laws. But authorities and Government officials alike continue to trumpet the laws as a success, citing various manipulated statistics that claim the rate of violence on the streets of Sydney have dropped since their implementation, and the public writ large is, by extension, better off. The illusion of safety.
But NSW Police are today launching a legal appeal, after a man charged and found guilty of perpetrating a shocking assault on a bar manager walked out of court with nothing more than a 12-month good behaviour bond.
CCTV footage of the incident was obtained by Channel Nine, and shows the offender, Haze Aupouri, committing a vicious and unprovoked assault on bar manager Trent Marsden.
Aupouri and his brother had been refused service at the venue in Sydney’s south and were subsequently kicked out of the premises. Marsden had followed the pair onto the footpath and was in the process of calling a taxi for Aupouri’s brother when Aupouri struck Marsden repeatedly.
The eight punches to Marsden’s head resulted in broken teeth, nerve damage, and a severe concussion. Luckily, and somewhat miraculously, Marsden was able to stand up and push Aupouri away.
Last Thursday, Aurpouri pleaded guilty to the assault – which occurred in broad daylight – in the Sutherland Local Court. Magistrate Claire Farnan sentenced him to a 12-month good behaviour bond. She did not watch the CCTV footage during the hearing.
Sydney Coward Punch
WARNING – VIOLENT VISION: A man has walked free with a 12 month good behaviour bond after being charged with coward punching a pub manager – this shocking vision not even shown in court. Police have called for the sentence to be appealed, and pub manager Trent will join us AHEAD on TODAY. #9Today
Posted by TODAY on Thursday, 24 March 2016
The attack, and subsequent court decision, have drawn New South Wales’ coward punch legislation into question, with severe concerns about its implementation and consistency at the forefront.
The fact that the assault occurred in broad daylight also raises (yet more) questions about the lockout laws actual effectiveness, beyond destroying once-vibrant areas of Sydney nightlife and crippling associated businesses by substantially reducing the amount of nighttime foot traffic.
Marsden appeared on The Today Show earlier this morning, asserting that he believes the court decision would have gone very differently if the Magistrate had viewed the CCTV footage of the assault.
“You can say to someone you’ve been hit nine times and while that’s still bad when you look at the footage it’s a stark contrast.”
“The footage tells the story and it tells a very gruesome story.”
Police have confirmed that paperwork was lodged with the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions today, asking that the leniency of the sentence be appealed.
