By Laura Michell
A man who punched a stranger in an “unprovoked” and “random” attack outside a Cairnlea laundromat has been handed a five-year jail term.
Daniel Vaofusi, 26, pleaded guilty to recklessly causing serious injury, following the December 3, 2017, attack outside the laundromat at a Cairnlea shooping centre.
The County Court heard that CCTV footage of the attack showed Vaofusi walking up to the victim and punching him to the face, knocking him to the ground unconscious.
The victim, Levent Babacan was not known to Vaofusi and was waiting outside the laundromat for a friend.
The court heard the footage showed Vaofusi walking away from the victim before leaving the laundromat with his partner and chid.
It also heard that Vaofusi had intended to “warn” Mr Babacan, after he thought he had peered through the laundromat window at his partner.
Mr Babacan was taken to Sunshine Hospital where we has diagnosed with bleeding of the brain and a hemorrhage.
He was transferred to the Royal Melbourne Hospital where he underwent emergency surgery. He spent two weeks in hospital and a further three to four weeks in a rehabilitation centre.
In sentencing Vaofusi on May 17, Judge Paul Lacava said Mr Babacan would suffer the consequences of the attack for the rest of his life.
He described the attack as a “sickening, violent punch”.
“Needless to say, the injury you caused to Mr Babacan was life-threatening,” he said.
“This was truly an unprovoked and wanton random attack of a thug. Unfortunately violence of this kind, and of this level, is prevalent in public places, and this kind of offending serves as a reminder to everyone that it can have unintentional but catastrophic consequences.”
Judge Lacava said he felt Vaofusi did not show true remorse for his actions.
“I can see you regret punching the victim however I don’t believe this comes from remorse, it’s the situation [the punch] has put you in,” he said.
Vaofusi was sentenced to five years in jail with a non-parole period of three years.
