Qld: Man jailed for bashing man on crutches

AAP General News (Australia)
04-17-2007
Qld: Man jailed for bashing man on crutches

By Jade Bilowol

BRISBANE, April 17 AAP - A Queensland man who bashed another man on crutches so severely
that a metal plate had to be inserted into his face will spend nine months in jail.

Christopher Jay Spencer, 28, of Redcliffe on Brisbane's northern bayside, today pleaded
guilty in the Brisbane District Court to grievous bodily harm against Anthony Michael
Wright, who is aged in his early 40s.

Judge Milton Griffin sentenced Spencer, who has a history of violence, to two-and-a-half
years jail but ordered he be released on parole on January 16 next year.

"There was absolutely no basis for what you did ... it was entirely unprovoked - the
man was to an extent disabled, on crutches," Judge Griffin said during his sentencing
remarks.

The court was told that on March 24 last year Spencer approached Mr Wright at the Deception
Bay Sports Club, accusing him of owing him $2,500.

They had worked on a fishing trawler together six years earlier.

When Mr Wright left the venue just before midnight to use a public phone outside, he
was followed by Spencer, who asked for a cigarette.

Prosecutor Matt Nathan said as Mr Wright, whose foot was in a plaster cast because
of a previous fracture, rolled a cigarette, Spencer told him: "If I belt the shit out
of you, it will make me feel better".

"(Mr Wright) was struck to the side of his face - he was unsure if it was a punch or
kick," Mr Nathan said.

"He heard a loud crack and felt immediate pain in his eye."

Spencer then continued to punch Mr Wright and even though the victim managed to reach
the public phone, the defendant threw swings through the side of the booth.

Mr Nathan said Mr Wright had suffered persistent double vision and underwent surgery,
requiring the insertion of a titanium mesh plate into his left eye socket.

The court also heard Spencer had consumed up to 18 full-strength pots of beer just
before the offence and "lost his temper".

He has previously been convicted of assault occasioning bodily harm on two occasions
- for repeatedly punching another person at a shopping centre as well as striking a club
employee who evicted him for hitting poker machines.

He received an 18-month probation order and fine respectively.

Justice Griffin also today sentenced Spencer to 12 months jail - to be served concurrently
with the other sentence - after he pleaded guilty to receiving stolen property with circumstance
of aggravation, fraud and attempted fraud.

Spencer received stolen credit and ATM cards in April last year and fraudulently obtained
$840 before attempting to garner further funds.

AAP jvb/pjo/maur/bwl

KEYWORD: SPENCER

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