Coward puncher sentenced

A YOUNG man who delivered a devastating coward punch to a backpacker, knocking him unconscious, offered no excuse for his actions.

Jahleel Quintel Cole-beer, 21, pleaded guilty to assault occasioning bodily harm, unlawfully entering a place used for business purposes, unlawfully climbing a building and failing to stop a motor vehicle after police advised him to do so.

Police prosecutor Sophie Roseby said the assault occurred on June 6 after 1am.

“At approximately 1am the victim had left the Queens Hotel and proceeded to walk along Edward St,” she said.

“The defendant walked across the street while another person was standing next to the victim, and the defendant immediately punched him, causing the victim to become unconscious.

“The victim did regain consciousness a short time later and walked home.”

In relation to the evasion offence, Ms Roseby said police tried to halt the defendant on Saturday, July 24, about 7pm.

Cole-beer failed to slow down and instead accelerated away.

“The defendant was unable to provide an urgent or medical reason for not stopping and said he panicked and didn’t want to lose his licence,” she said.

Cole-beer’s solicitor, Michael Hibble, said his client had no defence for the assault charge and his client had said “I don’t know why I did it”.

Magistrate Ross Mack said the assault was the most serious charge, and described it as “gutless and cowardly without justification”.

Mr Mack sentenced ColeBeer to 12 months’ imprisonment, wholly suspended for an operational period of 18 months for the assault.

Cole-beer was fined $750 for his actions at the Queens Hotel and was fined $7000 and disqualified from driving for two years for the evasion offence.

Convictions were recorded.