Suspended sentence for stadium punch

A 23-year-old Geraldton man has been given an 18-month suspended sentence for a one-punch assault which left the victim needing a titanium plate and six screws in his jaw.

Godfrey Mervyn Charles Curley pleaded guilty in the District Court at Geraldton this week to one count of grievous bodily harm.

Curley knew the 45-year-old victim through his girlfriend, whose sister was in a relationship with the victim’s son.

In his defence, Curley’s lawyer explained this son had made racist remarks about Curley’s Aboriginal family at an Australia Day party, and this caused Curley to confront the victim at Activewest Stadium, Wonthella, in July last year.

Curley had been drinking, and the two men got into a small fight where the victim grabbed Curley’s throat and pushed him before security separated them.

While security was asking the victim to leave the venue, Curley threw a punch over the guard’s shoulder to hit the victim in the face, requiring him to be flown to Royal Perth Hospital to treat the fractured jaw.

Judge Michael Bowden said if the victim had landed the wrong way Curley could have been facing a manslaughter charge.

“I accept that Mr Curley is a first offender in relation to violent crime, and I accept that he has shown real remorse after his actions,” he said.

“I accept the pre-sentence report shows he has a low risk of re-offending. By all accounts he appears to be a very promising footballer and has good academic results.”

As well as the suspended sentence, the court passed on an order to undergo an alcohol education program and a violence restraining order to prevent contact with the victim.