A COCKY COWARD

There’s a smart-arse thug around these parts who is laughing at the law. Has been laughing at the law and making a mockery out of the courts for some time now. He should be in jail. And I’m not talking about Mick Gatto. Most of you will not know who I am talking about unless you come from Geelong. Unless you follow basketball. Unless you are a family member or friend of Russell Riches.

You’ll remember him. He nearly died a couple of years ago when he was a king hit outside the Gold Diggers Arms Hotel after a family night out. He suffered a fractured skull, bleeding from the brain, missing teeth, post traumatic stress amnesia. He’s still undergoing rehabilitation.
 
So what happened to the brave young drunk who king-hit him?  Luke Anderson. In February last year, in Geelong Magistrate’s Court he pleaded not guilty to recklessly causing serious injury and riotous behaviour. He was found guilty but even though Magistrate Rosemary Carlin said Anderson had shown no remorse and the injuries were very serious she only gave him a three month suspended sentence. A non-sentence.
 
On the same day Anderson pleaded guilty to assaulting another patron at the same hotel earlier on the same night of his cowardly attack on Russell Riches.
 
For that he got 125 hours of community service to be completed in six months. Did he do it? No. He did just 36 hours in seven months. He then had the gall to go back to court to try to get the hours cancelled or extended.
Another Magistrate, Michael Coghlan, gave him another five months to complete the remaining 89 hours.
 
Did he do it? No. He applied last week for another cancellation or extension and this time he didn’t even bother showing up.

This man is laughing at the courts. Treating it all like a joke. When Magistrate Carlin gave Anderson that suspended sentence and 125 hours of community service she said:‘The sentence I am about to impose is designed to assist you and send a message to the community.'’

Well, what message? Luke Anderson has breached the terms of his suspended sentence and failed to complete his community service. He should be arrested and forced to at least serve three months in jail. Fitting for a cocky coward.

Thursday, January 14, 2010

© Copyright Derryn Hinch 2010