Jail for bashing girl, 17
Court told attack a ‘bizarre aberration’
A BRUTAL bashing of a teenage girl near the Esplanade Lagoon, that was caught on CCTV, was a “bizarre aberration”, a court was told
Gavin Julian Ralph Bentley, now 36, was jailed after pleading guilty this week in Cairns Magistrates Court to assault and assault occasioning bodily harm.
The court heard Bentley — in Cairns from Western Aus- tralia during March to prepare electrical cabling in the convention centre for the Commonwealth Games — kicked and punched the girl, 17, breaking her nose.
“She was attempting to get away when she tripped on the kerb,” police prosecutor Sgt Matt Rose said.
“He grabbed her by the hair, punched and kicked her a number of times.”
Sgt Rose played CCTV footage which tracked Bentley around the Pier carpark, where he was involved in scuffles with a Cairns Regional Council officer before attacking the girl.
Bentley and two apprentices were drinking the night of March 3 when one of the young tradesmen walked with the victim to a barbecue area near the Esplanade Lagoon.
Bentley became aware of “illegal activity” between the girl and his apprentice and confronted her.
A Cairns Regional Council officer tried to intervene but was struck by Bentley.
The court heard Bentley walked away but then charged the girl, who tripped trying to escape.
“She said the defendant grabbed her by the hair and used a combination of kicks and punches, striking her about five times,” Magistrate Janelle Brassington said.
“She had lost a lot of blood from the nose by that time.
“She had suffered a broken nose — the physical harm was significant.”
She said Bentley’s assault was a “bizarre aberration” for the “hardworking” and trusted father of two, “one that shocked him and his family as much as the courts”.
“It is fair to regard him as without previous convictions of anything of a like nature,” Ms Brassington said.
Bentley’s family had been threatened on social media after the attack, the court heard.
Despite his character references and remorse, Ms Brassington jailed Bentley for 15 months, to be suspended for two years after three months in custody.