Australia: Another stupid mental health defence accepted -- and a violent young guy has learnt that he can get away with smashing someone in the face with a bottle

99% of people who suffer unhappy life events don't go around committing crimes. Such events are clearly therefore no defence for crime

The family of a teenager glassed in the face yesterday slammed the community service order given to his attacker as "soft". David Macdonald, 19, was left physically and mentally scarred after Jordan Sloane attacked him with a bottle during a fight at a hotel in Sydney's North Ryde last January.

Prosecutors had called for the maximum two-year jail term for Sloane, 20, who was convicted of malicious wounding. In sentencing Macdonald, Magistrate Robert Williams yesterday told Downing Centre Local Court that the use of a bottle, aimed at the victim's head, warranted a prison term. However, he sentenced Sloane to 400 hours of community service, accepting that he suffered post traumatic stress after his parents died when he was aged 16 and had good prospects for rehabilitation.

Outside court, Joanne Macdonald said her son's attacker received "a very soft sentence. It's not giving the right message to the public". The victim's father, Trevor Macdonald, asked: "When are they going to put their foot down and deliver a sentence appropriate to the crime?"

The violence broke out at the Ranch Hotel after Mr Macdonald asked Sloane's girlfriend, a former classmate, to dance. Sloane took exception and confronted Mr Macdonald. Both men threw punches before Sloane - who claimed he was defending himself - swung a vodka bottle at Mr Macdonald's face. Mr Macdonald, who is now studying overseas, suffered cuts and a broken nose, undergoing plastic surgery. Doctors removed five pieces of glass from his face.

Report here



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