Violent reaction to attack on sister
A CAIRNS man became enraged when he heard his sister had been assaulted by her partner, knocking the guy out and breaking his jaw.
Rodney Ross Munro only hit the man once but it was enough.
Kelvin Dunne needed surgery for two metal plates to be inserted into his jaw, which resulted in infections because of his diabetes.
“The blow that you struck him has had a very serious impact on his life,” Judge Brendan Butler AM SC said.
The Cairns District Court heard that Munro had been told that Mr Dunne had struck his sister with a pool cue and then he’d seen her looking dishevelled, but he didn’t witness any assault.
Defence barrister Michael Dalton said Munro had reacted under a “level of factual provocation that was significant”.
The court heard Munro spoke to Mr Dunne telling him to leave his sister alone and leave the Bentley Park house, but was sworn at so he hit him once.
Emily Coley, for the Director of Public Prosecutions, said it had been a “gross over-reaction to that background”.
Judge Butler agreed it was a “pretty severe punch”.
Munro, 53, pleaded guilty to causing grievous bodily harm in February 2016.
Ms Coley said Mr Dunne told police six months after the incident and Munro was charged in August last year.
Judge Butler accepted there was provocation but said his “response was grossly extreme”.
“You chose to strike out at him in this extreme way,” Judge Butler said. “There are too many instances of men striking out causing serious harm to others.”
Munro was jailed for two years and three months with parole release on February 26 next year. BOATIES who know the location of any abandoned vessels that may pose a navigation danger or environmental threat are being urged to attend a meeting at Port Douglas *Competition runs Monday, 10th September until Friday, 5th October 2018. For full terms and conditions go to: cairnspost.com.au/competitions.