Bashing ‘left hole in skull’

A MAN whose skull was caved in while he was bashed outside an Upper Coomera 7-Eleven felt like he was a chip on the ground “being pecked at by seagulls”, a court was told.

The vicious attack left a permanent hole in Glenn Knappen’s skull.

“I have a life sentence,” he said outside the Southport District Court yesterday.

His attacker, Chase Peter Danny Brooks, walked free from the court yesterday with a three-month prison sentence which had been immediately suspended for three years.

The 21-year-old pleaded guilty yesterday to assault occasioning bodily harm.

But that was only after a charge of grievous bodily harm and two other charges of assault occasioning bodily harm were dropped.

Crown prosecutor Matt Hynes yesterday took the court through the horrific details of the attack, which occurred just before 1am on April 2 last year.

Mr Hynes said Mr Knappen and some friends had left the nearby Wattle Hotel in Upper Coomera and were waiting for a taxi.

The group ran into Brooks and his friends and a verbal fight broke out at the 7-Eleven service station.

Mr Knappen had picked up a window washer and shouted at them to go away.

The court was told that was when Brooks pounced, knocking Mr Knappen to the ground.

“The assault continued on the ground and left him in a state that is very much excessive,” Mr Hynes said.

The court was told the attack left Mr Knappen with four skull lacerations and cuts to the face.

The back of his skull was caved in, causing a 6mm hole which doctors say will never heal. Mr Knappen was in hospital for four days.

Mr Hynes said Mr Knappen had said he felt like a chip on the ground “being pecked at by seagulls”.

“He was on the ground protecting himself,” he said.

Mr Knappen then loss consciousness.

The former solar energy worker has spent months in recovery.

Mr Hynes said that at the time of the attack Brooks was on bail for drug trafficking and threatening to “dog shot”, or coward punch, a magistrate.

Brooks was sentenced in January to two years nine months for the drug trafficking and released on parole after nine months’ pre-sentence custody. Judge David Kent noted in his sentencing: “It’s only really more good luck than good management that this has not resulted in worse consequences (for Mr Knappen).”

Judge Kent sentenced Brooks to three months prison for the assault, which was suspended immediately.

The sentence will be served cumulatively with his drug trafficking sentence.

Defence barrister Nick McGhee, instructed by Ashkan Tai Lawyers, said Brooks was sentenced on the basis of using “excessive force”.

Brooks’s friend Blake Knox was also charged over the bashing but those charges were dropped yesterday.