A YOUTH mentor will spend his birthday in jail after he bashed two men.
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Zack Craig, 19, pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm and common assault in Armidale Local Court on Monday.
The unprovoked attack took place at the Caltex on Queen Elizabeth drive on September 21.
The two victims had filled up their car with petrol when Craig began yelling, “I’m going to hang you for what you did to my ancestors and make sure your kids can’t walk,” before running his finger across his neck, the court heard.
Craig then kicked a bin before smashing a fire extinguisher into the service station window.
He then tried to punch one of the victims and missed, grabbed him by the throat and said, “I’m going to rip your head off your shoulders”.
Craig punched the second victim in the face and his bottom teeth lacerated his lip.
Defence solicitor Chelsea Schaefer told the court Craig had been working hard to change his life with youth organisation BackTrack.
I have no other alternative but to protect the community from these wanton assaults.
- Magistrate Holmes
“Mr Craig is a young person who is in desperate need of great assistance to address his alcohol issues and anger issues that flow from drinking,” Ms Schaefer said.
Police prosecutor Jim MacDonald said the community expectation would be a full-time custodial sentence.
“The facts indicate the accused received a deep cut to his knuckle which indicates how hard the punch was, how vicious this particular assault was,” Sergeant MacDonald said.
Craig did not know either of the victims.
BackTrack founder Bernie Shakeshaft was in the court to support Craig.
But, Magistrate Michael Holmes said the court had no option but a term of imprisonment.
“I have no other alternative but to protect the community from these wanton assaults,” he said. Craig was sentenced to 18 months imprisonment, six months non-parole for the serious assault and six months for the common assault, to be served concurrently.