Racial slurs led to knockout
A GEELONG plasterer who knocked another man unconscious during a drunken night out has walked from court with a fine.
But Magistrate Luisa Bazzani warned Aydin Nurdag he would be locked up if he came back to court for similar offending.
The 26-year-old pleaded guilty to charges of intentionally causing injury, recklessly causing injury and assault at the Geelong Magistrates’ Court yesterday.
The court heard Nurdag, who had no previous criminal convictions, was heavily intoxicated when he knocked another man unconscious in Geelong’s nightclub district in March.
Fearful of the repercussions of his actions, Nurdag ran away from the scene before being arrested.
Prosecutor Leading Senior Constable David Vanderpol said the unknown victim was unconscious and was taken to hospital for urgent treatment.
Sen-Constable Vanderpol said the victim sustained a 2cm cut that required stitches, jaw injuries and lacerations.
Nurdag’s lawyer Niamh Harrington said her client, who is Muslim, was the victim of a series of racially motivated verbal attacks and had had food thrown at him shortly before the assault.
She said these actions made Nurdag angry and motivated him to lash out.
“There were a number of racial slurs (made towards Mr Nurdag) and it was a day after the Christchurch shooting,” Ms Harrington said.
Ms Bazzani said one-punch attacks were serious assaults that could kill and change lives forever.
“One punch can kill,” Ms Bazzani said. “These types of one-punch offences … these are the offences that the community has been outraged about.”
But, the Magistrate said Nurdag had strong family support, impressive references and had demonstrated excellent prospects of rehabilitation.
Ms Bazzani ordered Nurdag to pay $2500 to the charity Stop One Punch Can Kill and barred him from attending licensed venues in the Geelong CBD unless he is accompanied by a family member.
If he does not reoffend within two years the charge will be dismissed.