A UOW international student who launched a “merciless” attack on an unprepared peer has been sentenced to six months’ jail.
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Security cameras captured Chinese national Haopo Yang, 22, confronting his foe in a well-lit common area on campus the morning of February 23.
He gives little warning before repeatedly belting the man to the head in an assault that cost the victim a trip to hospital and ongoing vision problems.
Police documents tendered to Wollongong Local Court on Thursday show Yang and his victim shared a female friend and were both “aiming to have some form of relationship with her which has apparently led to tensions between the pair”.
The victim was seated and talking to a woman in UOW’s Unicentre when Yang came at him and said, in English, “you stay away from her”, the court heard.
Yang lands at least 20 punches to the man’s head and face before the fight is broken apart.
Police described the assault as “merciless”.
It is unclear from the court documents if the woman in the video is the subject of the men’s rivalry.
Yang pleaded guilty to charges of affray and assault occasioning actual bodily harm.
Magistrate Michael Stoddart considered multiple references in Yang’s favour during Thursday’s court appearance.
“It’s hard to believe that those people who speak about Mr Yang in such terms as ‘polite’... ‘has a good temper’ ... ‘not a fiery or grumpy person’,” Mr Stoddart said.
“He has behaved in a completely dangerous manner and this type of behaviour is completely unacceptable in this country or in any part of the world.
“It’s a completely unprovoked, brutal attack on a person who’s sitting down. And there‘s a large number of punches to the face and the head of the victim.”
Yang was sentenced to six months’ imprisonment.
He immediately appealed the decision and has been released on bail ahead of his next court appearance, September 2.