Six years prison for unprovoked Race Day assault | Gympie News | Local News in Gympie

THE man responsible for the shocking assault at Gympie's RSL Cup Race Day was sentenced to six year's prison yesterday in Gympie's District Court.

Steven Christopher Manson, 31, of Louisa Street, Gympie, was convicted for assaulting two men at the popular race day on June 21, knocking one victim unconscious. The injured man was airlifted to Nambour General Hospital suffering from deep lacerations to his face which required 12 stitches.

Manson pleaded guilty to one charge of assault occasioning grievous bodily harm and two counts of assault occasioning bodily harm. The charges included an incident involving Manson at the Shaft Nightclub, caught on security cameras during the night of April 25.

Barrister for the defendant Russ Clutterbuck said Manson accepted responsibility for his behaviour, however had no recollection of the June 21 incident. Prosecutor Ronald Noble told the court that Manson walked up to the men who were minding their own business and punched them in the head.

Judge Walter Tutt said Manson had left the victim with an ugly, disfiguring scar and his criminal history reflected his violent tendencies.

"This is further evidence of your uncontrolled violent behaviour and the punishment must fit the severity of the crime," he said. "You must take steps to address your alcoholism. Even your mother says as much as she wrote in her letter of reference 'alcohol does not agree with him and sends him off his head', only you can overcome your inherent problem. These assaults were extreme and unprovoked violent actions in a social setting."

He said a psychology report on Manson was not encouraging, stating he had anger management problems.