Driver pays for attack

A GOLD Coast mechanic repeatedly punched another man in the face after crashing his car over a roundabout in an alcohol-fuelled attack in Upper Coomera.

Jamie Ryan Crawford, 27, drove over the middle of a roundabout in Con Brio Blvd on November 11, 2016 after drinking at a birthday party.

The attack sent a man to hospital for a day, requiring surgery to a fractured eye socket and 12 stitches to a cut on his face.

Crawford pleaded guilty yesterday in Southport District Court to assault occasioning bodily harm and dangerous operation of a motor vehicle.

Judge David Kent sentenced him to 18 months prison with immediate parole release and ordered he pay the victim $4000 in compensation.

He was also disqualified from driving for six months.

“It was unprovoked, sustained violence,” Mr Kent said.

The court was told that after the crash some residents followed Crawford’s car to take down the licence plate and saw him trying to jump a fence.

Crown prosecutor Stephanie Gallagher said a man, 46, tried to calm Crawford but was punched in the face a number of times. The man managed to get Crawford into a headlock and released him when he stopped struggling. Crawford again repeatedly punched the man to the face and when the man fell to the ground Crawford kept punching.