A man has been sentenced to two years in prison, with a non-parole period of 14 months, for his involvement in the Manly Wharf brawl earlier this year.
The incident, which occurred on 6 January, involved almost 40 individuals. It happened after a group of people descended on a boy, attacking him and forcing him to take shelter in Fratelli Fresh nearby. The large mob then attempted to force their way in, with members of the public barricading the entrance and being caught in the affray.
The 21-year-old, who was sentenced at Downing Centre Local Court, was found not to have assaulted the boy, instead was involved in chasing the boy, as well as spitting on a member of the public. The Central Coast resident was already serving two intensive correction orders and three community correction orders at the time of the Manly incident. The two-year sentence also encompassed separate offences, including an assault on a Sydney train, setting a bin on fire in Redfern and hitting a car with a baseball bat.
Commenting on the sentencing, Manly MP James Griffin thanked police, adding that “Community safety is paramount. And hopefully this sends a message that this sort of stuff isn’t tolerated in our community.”