No bail after tram ‘hit’ claim

A concreter who allegedly broke a man’s jaw in a coward punch was involved in another almost identical attack six weeks earlier, police allege.

Nerang man Matthew Walker, 32, was refused bail in the Southport Magistrates Court on Monday after he was charged with grievous bodily harm following an alleged attack at a Gold Coast tram stop at the weekend.

Police were called to the incident at Broadbeach about 1.30pm Sunday.

They said Walker and a 22year-old man not known to him were travelling on the tram before the younger man exited at Broadbeach.

Walker allegedly punched the younger man from behind and fled the scene.

The left side of the victim’s head hit an advertising billboard before he fell to the ground, the court was told.

He was taken to hospital with a broken jaw.

During Walker’s bail application on Monday, the court was told that he allegedly committed another coward punch in Burleigh on April 16.

The Nerang man was alleged to have punched a man – who was not known to him – to his jaw from behind. The victim needed surgery to attach two metal plates to his jaw, the court was told.

The concreter was charged with grievous bodily harm over the incident.

Police prosecutors opposed Walker’s bail application.

The prosecution described the 32-year-old in court as a “risk to the public” and noted he had a 14-page criminal history, including previous offences of violence.

Magistrate Pamela Dowse refused Walker’s bail application and adjourned his two charges of grievous bodily harm to June 22.