Jail time cut for glassing man

A MAN serving jail time over a glassing attack at a Surfers Paradise nightclub has had his sentence reduced on appeal.

Jonathan Ian Frederick Colenso was originally sentenced to four years in jail for an attack on Deon Carter at Cocktails and Dreams nightclub in January 2009.

At trial the court was told Colenso shoved Carter when the two were in a queue for a drink.

When Carter told Colenso to go to the back of the line, he reached over the bar, took a glass and smashed it into the side of Carter’s face then punched him while he was on the ground.

Colenso this month appealed his sentence arguing it was too heavy and above that handed down to offenders in other glassing attacks.

The Court of Appeal in Brisbane yesterday allowed the appeal and reduced Colensos sentence to three years in jail. It also ordered he be released in June next year, after serving 18 months.

The court noted deterrence was an important consideration in glassing sentences.

‘‘That, however, does not warrant the imposition on the applicant of a sentence substantially greater than that imposed on others for similar offending," Justice John Muir stated. Nor did it justify what appeared to be a failure to give due regard to the applicant’s young age and good work history, he said.