Teen bashes man with a baseball bat

A TEENAGER smashed a man in the back of the head with a baseball bat during a brawl involving eight people.

The 21-year-old victim was trying to protect his little sister and her two friends after the teen and his three mates arranged a confrontation in the park on November 4 last year.

The man was left with a fractured skull and massive brain bleed, which has left him suffering nightmares and mental health issues.

The teen, who was 17 at the time of the attack, pleaded guilty in the Southport District Court on Monday to grievous bodily harm, two counts of common assault and 23 counts of supplying a dangerous drug.

Now 18, he cannot be named as he was child at the time of offending.

Crown prosecutor Gary Churchill said the teen and his mates arranged to meet the girls in a Gold Coast park after an argument between the girls and a mutual friend.

One of the girls called her older brother, who came with them to the park.

Mr Churchill said the man told the boys they would not touch the girl. He says that is when one of the boys punched the man to the ground. At that stage, the teenager came in with a baseball bat and hit the man on the back of the head.

Mr Churchill said an analysis of the teen’s phone also found he had supplied drugs to people 23 times with a majority of supplies cannabis. In one sale, the teen sold eight ounces, worth $1800, of cannabis.

Judge Katherine McGinness sentenced him to 18 months’ detention with conditional release and 150 hours’ community service. He was also ordered to pay the man $2000 in restitution. “That will not even come close to compensating (the man) for what has happened,” she said.

Convictions were recorded. not