Four years for brutal brawl

Man sentenced over ‘shocking violence’ in Railton street

A MAN convicted in relation to a Railton street brawl in which he engaged in “brutal and shocking violence” has been sentenced to four years’ jail.

Adam Chris Onions, 32, was found guilty by a jury of one count of assault and one count of committing an unlawful act causing bodily harm in relation to the public fight. Onion’s companion on the day, Danny Jago, had the same charges against him dismissed. Justice Robert Pearce said he was not satisfied Onions went to Railton looking for violence.

“However, when he did become involved it was brutal and shocking,” Justice Pearce said.

“He caused serious harm and his response was unjustified and overwhelmingly aggressive.”

The court heard the violence stemmed from a longrunning grudge over a $500 dodgy drug deal between Onions and the owner of a second-hand goods store in the small North-West town.

On November 17 last year, Onions travelled from his Mole Creek home to Railton and soon became involved in a verbal altercation with the shop owner, his father and two mates.

Justice Pearce acknowledged that three of the men were involved in provocation on the day and were armed with weapons when the fight broke out.

But Justice Pearce found the number of baseball bat blows inflicted by Onions on a man already laying injured on the footpath were extreme and intended to cause serious harm.

“I find from the number of blows and the force used that you meant to cause serious and disabling injury,’’ he said.

The court was told one of the men suffered life threatening injuries, including a collapsed lung, broken ribs and a scalp wound.

The man was “deeply unconscious” when taken to the Launceston General Hospital and spent three days in intensive care. The court was told Onions was on bail and the subject of a family violence order at the time of the crime.