No jail for thug cousins

‘Cowardly’ pair brutally bashed man in his Norlane home

A PAIR of cousins who brutally bashed a man inside his Norlane home have avoided jail.

Ricky Arnott, 29, and Bryan Scouller, 23, were sentenced in Geelong County Court on Friday for their role in the vicious assault in March 2017.

Both men were intoxicated and had an ongoing dispute with the victim when they ar- rived at his home late at night.

After the man opened the door, Arnott and Scouller rushed inside, knocking him to the ground and repeatedly kicking and punching him for about one minute.

The incident left him with cuts and bruises to his head and face, but he escaped any internal injuries.

The court had previously heard the victim had been in a relationship with the sister of Scouller’s partner and that a dispute had been brewing for months.

Defence lawyer Adrian Paull, representing Arnott, said while the incident was “terrifying”, it was short-lived.

He said Arnott, an abattoir worker, had never been involved in violence before.

“The closest he has come to violence, he instructs, was playing video games,” Mr Paull said.

Both Mr Paull and Scouller’s lawyer had urged the court not to jail the men, arguing they were remorseful and had not been in trouble with the law before.

Judge Gerard Mullaly described the bashing as “cowardly” and said photographs of the man’s injuries were concerning.

“While there is no victim impact statement, there is no doubt this was a terrifying ordeal,” he said.

“Everyone is entitled to feel safe when at home. No one should have their house broken into and be attacked by a group of angry, drunken men.”

But in sentencing, Judge Mullaly noted the men’s previous good behaviour and that the incident was out of character.

He said while such violence would usually attract prison time, justice could be served by placing the men on lengthy corrections orders.

“It is, in my view, appropriate to consider giving each of you a second chance,” Judge Mullaly said.

“A community corrections order is a sentence involving punishment. It will be no soft option.”

He placed Arnott and Scouller on three-year orders requiring them to complete 250 hours of unpaid community work.

“If you breach this order, don’t doubt for a moment that you will go to jail,” Judge Mullaly said.