Callum Read has been sentenced to 140 hours of community service as a direct alternative to four months in youth detention by the Magistrate’s Court.
Read was at the taxi rank on the night of the 26 May when he started heckling a stranger and his group of friends. After making “unpleasant and derogatory” slurs about the man, some of which were homophobic, he walked over and grabbed his face, pushing him to the ground.
Read then fell on top of the man and punched him, although CCTV in the area did not provide a clear view of the incident.
Afterwards, bystanders pointed Read out to nearby police officers, who arrested him. At first, he disputed that he was the man in the CCTV images. When interviewed again, he confirmed it was him and replied “no comment” to all other questions.
Judge Graeme McKerrell said it was a prolonged and serious attack and could have been worse had members of the public not intervened.
The homophobic comments were also troubling, and although the probation report found no detection of an underlying homophobic attitude, Judge McKerrell asked if it was too simplistic to say that the “truth will out when someone has had a drink”.
Defence Advocate Liam Roffey said it was, and that his client was “perplexed” by his own actions.
“He simply has no recollection of the incident,” he said. “He has since been shocked by what he has seen and what he has read. He is at an utter loss and is utterly ashamed.”
Advocate Roffey said Read had been signed off work with anxiety and depression since 7 October, and he has since written to the victim and police officer involved apologising for his behaviour.
Sentencing Read to 140 hours of community service, as a direct alternative to four months in youth detention, Judge McKerrell said: “This was a most serious assault and it was so because it appears to be completely random.”
“I don’t think I could be criticised for sentencing you to youth detention, but I’m giving you a second chance today, don’t throw it away.”