Twins jailed for attack
BRUTAL brothers Steve and Jamie Lynch would drink hard and play hard – until a fateful binge left an innocent man bashed bloody under their feet.
Their victim, a 49-year-old fisherman, drifted in and out of consciousness as the twins stomped his head and face and stabbed him in the chest with a broken bottle, yelling “f***ing kill him!”
The sudden assault overwhelmed the man after he protested their theft of a beer.
The twins, 34, of Mareeba, appeared in Cairns District Court on Tuesday for sentencing over the assault on June 23, 2017.
Steve Lynch pleaded guilty to unlawful wounding and brother Jamie pleaded guilty to assault causing bodily harm.
Crown prosecutor Josh Francis told the court Steve Lynch approached the man in a Port Douglas park at dusk.
The complainant was drinking alone on a park bench when Steve Lynch – already heavily drunk – removed a beer.
The man protested, took the bottle and tried to back away but the brothers pounced.
“They relentlessly stomped and kicked his head … he was stabbed in the chest by Steve,” Mr Francis said.
Despite his wounds the victim ran away with the twins in pursuit. He found sanctuary in a petrol station and was later flown to Cairns Hospital for two days of treatment.
The court heard he would lose his job and be jobless for eight weeks due to injuries including a fractured eye socket and cracked teeth.
Police found the twins not far from the scene asleep in the back of a ute.
“The victim’s DNA was consistent with the defendant’s bloody hands, with the blood on his shorts … Steve’s fingerprints were on the broken bottle,” Mr Francis said.
The court heard the pair had a history of violence after heavy drinking.
Mr Mellick said it was likely Steve Lynch had a blood alcohol reading of .35 per cent during the assault.
“They have very little recollection,” he said. “It was not something planned.”
Judge Tracey Fantin jailed Steve Lynch for two years and Jamie for 21 months.
They will be released on parole on December 2 and November 1 respectively.
“This was gratuitous violence on a stranger at night,” she said.