A 32-year-old man found guilty of causing “potentially fatal” chest injuries during an assault in St Albans has had his sentence reduced.
Adam Baldwin was sentenced to two years jail in May after pleading guilty to one count of recklessly causing serious injury to 51-year-old Kevin Roland in October last year.
Baldwin appealed to the Supreme Court earlier this month on the grounds the sentence was “manifestly excessive”, claiming the judge had erred in not fixing a non-parole period.
His sentence was reduced to 21 months’ jail.
The court heard that on October 22 last year Baldwin had been drinking at a St Albans house, along with a group of people including his mother and Roland.
The court heard when Baldwin left the house Roland, who had been drinking heavily, became aggressive, began throwing things and pushed Baldwin’s mother. She told another man to get her husband, Glen Earl, from a nearby house.
Earl punched Roland in the face, causing him to fall to the floor, and then left.
Later, Baldwin and Earl returned to find Roland lying on the kitchen floor. Baldwin attempted to help Roland but he started throwing punches at him. Baldwin then stomped on Roland’s face and kicked him in the lower back and face several times.
Another man at the house found Roland on the floor and called triple-0. Roland spent two and a half weeks in hospital with rib and nasal fractures.
Baldwin initially denied assaulting Roland, but pleaded guilty at a committal mention in March.
A two year community corrections order handed down in May still stands.
