A Sunshine man who viciously beat another man by stomping on his head outside the state library has been sentenced in the County Court to four years jail.
Malwal Aweng, 21, pleaded guilty in October to one charge of intentionally causing serious injury following an assault on a former friend in March this year.
Aweng said the attack was provoked by a perceived insult to a female member of the group he and the victim were part of.
The court heard the victim was seated outside the library when Aweng punched him to the ground at 8.15pm on March 7.
Aweng and two underage accomplices then punched and kicked the victim, stomping on his head before leaving the scene.
All three were arrested later that night.
The victim was taken to the Royal Melbourne Hospital and treated for his injuries, including a fractured nose, fractured cheek, bruising on the right shin and upper back, and swelling/bruising on the back of his eyes.
The court heard the victim now has an increased risk of glaucoma and subsequent risk of a loss of areas of vision because of injuries caused to his eyes.
Judge Rachelle Lewitan said the seriousness of the crime necessitated a custodial sentence. She said Aweng was just four weeks into serving a community corrections order at the time of the offence.
“The facts in this case are very serious, shocking and disturbing,” she said.
“You stomped on the head of the complainant when he was unconscious and lying on the ground.
“An aggravating aspect was that you were serving a Community Correction Order.
“[The victim] has suffered stress and anxiety and deterioration of his mental health as a result of your actions … He said that he does not feel safe socially or going to his classes. The victim’s mother also described the painful and stressful effect that your conduct has had on her son and herself.”
Aweng was sentenced to four years in prison, with a minimum of 28 months before being eligible for parole. He has served eight months of pre-sentence detention.
