Man charged for uni attack
A TWENTY-YEAR-OLD has been charged over an alleged coward punch incident that has left a student fighting for his life in Townsville Hospital.
The victim, 21-year-old Nathan Welch, had been at a toga party on Thursday night at the James Cook Uni Bar at Douglas. He was last night in a critical condition. A JCU spokesman said the university provided security across its campuses and the Uni Bar also had its own security personnel.
The accused will appear in Townsville Magistrates Court this morning.
A PARTY to celebrate the beginning of a new university semester has ended in tragedy after a man was allegedly coward-punched outside a James Cook University campus bar, leaving him fighting for life.
Young father Nathan Welch, 21, was allegedly struck once to the head, knocking him to the ground unconscious.
His alleged attacker, a 20year-old Rosslea man, has since been charged with one count of grievous bodily harm.
It’s understood the men had been at the James Cook Uni Bar at Douglas for a toga-themed event for the beginning of the new university semester.
Mr Welch was in a critical but stable condition at Townsville Hospital last night.
Friends on social media said he was a “fighter”.
Uni Bar licence manager Regan Anderson , who was at the venue on Thursday night, was reluctant to comment but said he hoped the man and his family were OK.
“We just hope that he has a speedy recovery and that he’s all right,” he told the Townsville Bulletin yesterday.
Townsville Police Inspector Roger Whyte said assaults of any nature were unacceptable, particularly those more than likely to cause injury or death.
“One punch can kill,” he said. “Keep your hands in your pockets.”
A student who frequented the venue, who did not want to be named, said it was the first time he had heard of a fight at the bar.
“Normally it’s just all uni students and everyone tends to get on pretty well,” he said. “I’m not sure who it was or what happened.”
A JCU spokesman said the university provided a high level of security across its campuses and the Uni Bar also employed its own security personnel.
Paul Stanley, whose son Matthew was killed in a onepunch attack in Brisbane in 2006, said it was beyond him why people had to resort to violence.
“It’s always something really really minor and the end result of it is people’s lives are ruined forever,” Mr Stanley said.
The alleged attacker is due to appear in Townsville Magistrates Court today.