One punch left victim with a fractured skull

A YOUNG man who punched a 51-year-old and left him unconscious on the ground with a fractured jaw and skull has been sentenced to a fine and 70 hours of community service.

Brody Colin Lohrey, 24, was sentenced by Justice Robert Pearce in the Supreme Court in Launceston on Wednesday.

Justice Pearce said Lohrey was at an engagement party at a golf club on November 16 last year consuming alcohol throughout the night. As everyone was leaving he became involved in an argument with another male guest who had also been drinking, and punched him once to the head.

Justice Pearce said the man fell to the ground unconscious with a bleeding nose. Lohrey left the scene with his friends.

The victim was taken to Launceston General Hospital by ambulance and then to the Royal Hobart Hospital.

“His left upper jaw was fractured,” he said. “His skull was fractured towards the top rear, and there was subarachnoid and subdural haemorrhaging; that is, bleeding from the brain under the membranes surrounding the brain.”

Justice Pearce said Lohrey pleaded guilty at an early stage and had no prior convictions for violence.

Lohrey said the victim had made a series of offensively suggestive remarks directed at his friend’s fiancee. Lohrey confronted the man and was unsatisfied with his response.

“You approached him again,” Justice Pearce said.

“As he stepped towards you, you punched him. You now accept that either no force was necessary, or even if it was, your act was an excessive and unjustified response.”

The victim remained in hospital for two days after the assault and had post-traumatic amnesia.

Justice Pearce said he would not impose a jail sentence because Lohrey had not been in serious trouble before and was otherwise a responsible member of the community.

Lohrey was convicted and fined $3000. Justice Pearce made a community corrections order for 18 months including the condition her serve 70 hours of community service.