Boxer sorry for assault
Toowoomba sports star sentenced to probation
A PROFESSIONAL boxer who knocked a man unconscious outside The Spotted Cow has apologised for his actions after being given 12 months probation.
Steven Jack Spark, 21, pleaded guilty to assault occasioning bodily harm after he threw “numerous punches” at another boxer outside the pub on September 17.
The Toowoomba man had been at the CBD venue when the victim approached him at the bar and started a conversation about Spark’s girlfriend.
CCTV recorded the pair interacting outside the pub which showed Spark walk away twice but turned on the second occasion and threw “numerous punches”, police prosecutor Natalie Bugden told the Toowoomba Magistrates Court.
One punch hit the man on the side of the face, causing him to fall to the ground and black out in the gutter “covered in blood”, Sergeant Bugden said.
He received two black eyes, a fractured nose, cut lip, and lost a day of work.
Spark apologised the next day to his victim who filed the complaint with police three days later. Spark was charged on November 5.
Solicitor Damian Alroe said Spark, who had no previous criminal history, was remorseful and apologetic for his actions, and the pair had known each other for a number of years.
He submitted Spark knew there was “no justification” for the assault and that the matter before the court was “exacerbated” by his client being a professional boxer who has represented Queensland and Australia.
Magistrate Roger Stark said the offence was “quite serious” considering the injuries to the victim, and provocation did “not give you licence to do what you did”.
Spark was sentenced to 12 months probation and 120 hours of community service.
No conviction was recorded.
“I’m terribly sorry and remorseful for all of this and it will never be happening again,” Spark said outside court.
❝sorry
I’m terribly and remorseful for all of this.
— Steven Jack Spark