Natalie Wood

‘A man from hell’: Two men have been jailed for a ‘horrendous crime’

Two men were jailed for two-and-a-half years after pleading guilty to two counts of grievous bodily harm with intent, aggravated assault and committing an act of terror after they attacked a homeless man with a brick during a night out.

In October last year, Matthew Scott, 31, and John Thomas, 33, were in the Adelaide CBD when they broke into a group of men sleeping at a bar on the night of September 21, 2016.

They attacked the man with bricks and left him in a pool of blood.

A witness said the group were waiting for a cab to leave a nearby pub when they heard a commotion.

The group broke into another bar, which was also on the street, and punched and kicked the man as he sat on the pavement.

Thomas and Scott then punched and pushed the man in the face, while Scott pushed the victim to the ground.

Police arrived and arrested the pair on the spot.

It was alleged the group attacked the homeless man because he was “disrespectful” to the way he dressed.

Both men were sentenced to two-year jail terms, and were released on bail.

They had previously been jailed in 2015 for assault causing grievous harm with a dangerous weapon, and for assault with a firearm in a public place, with the latter conviction being overturned.

However, in a separate incident, Thomas and Scott were charged in September this year with two counts each of aggravated assault, grievous hurt with intent and committing a terror act after they assaulted a man on the Gold Coast in 2016.

They had each pleaded guilty to the charge.

Judge Peter McElwee told the court the offences took place at the bar on St Clair Street at about 11.20pm on September 21.

“You were the aggressors, and that’s why you were jailed,” he said.

Justice McElwes said the two men’s actions were “horrending”, and he imposed the maximum sentence possible.

He imposed a one-year suspended jail term and ordered the two to complete 60 hours of community work and pay $2,000 in costs.

Criminal lawyer Stephen Wylie said Thomas and the other man had been “caught with their hands tied” and had to pay the cost of the court case.

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