Alexis Ozanne, who assaulted transgender Australian muso Stephanie McCarthy in June this year, has escaped jail time and been handed community service time and a good behaviour bond.
As AAP reports, Ozanne was sentenced in Newtown Local Court today over a violent incident involving Ms McCarthy, bassist for Sydney band Love Maul, at the nearby Town Hall Hotel.
Ozanne pleaded guilty to affray and assault occasioning actual bodily harm, with Magistrate Anthony Spence sentencing him to 150 hours of community service and an 18-month bond for the charges. Ozanne was reportedly warned by an undisclosed person that he was close to being jailed.
Posting to Twitter this evening, Ms McCarthy has shamed the ruling, called out NSW Premier Mike Baird and questioned the actions of police and detectives involved in her case.
“Brutally bash a trans woman and you get 150 hours of community service. That’s what my life is worth,” Ms McCarthy says.
“Hey bigots! Move to Mike Baird’s NSW and you can brutally king hit and bash LGBTI folks and not do one day in jail! No justice for queers.” Catch her full series of tweets, below.
The unprovoked assault of Ms McCarthy involved a group of men calling her “faggot” and pulling her hair before she confronted the group and was punched repeatedly.
“Ms McCarthy walked a few metres away, armed herself with a plastic schooner glass and charged,” court documents state.
Ozanne’s co-accused, Nicholas Wells, is said to have grabbed Ms McCarthy and put her in a head lock before punching her three times, while Ozanne hit her five times in the back of the head.
According to court documents, Wells yelled at Ms McCarthy, saying, “We’re going to stab you, you faggot. I’ll kick your faggot fucking teeth down your throat.”
Ozanne was identified from CCTV footage and arrested almost a week after the incident. He told police he punched Ms McCarthy twice because she had threatened him, but denied throwing the other punches. Court documents show that Ozanne later admitted to throwing the other punches.
Ms McCarthy suffered a fractured eye socket, bruising under both eyes, a busted lip and swelling behind her left ear in the attack, and told police she was attacked for being transgender.
The attack on Ms McCarthy saw locals protest against violence and transphobia, while standing in solidarity with the bassist. Ozanne’s trial also saw Ms McCarthy confront her alleged attackers outside court after Ozanne allegedly blew her a kiss and said, “I’ll see you soon.”
Wells remains before the court.
Watch: Protest Against Violence And Transphobia Outside Town Hall Hotel, Newtown (08/06/15)
https://youtu.be/2iocIC3JK54
https://twitter.com/tallpunksteph/status/671571062249811968
https://twitter.com/tallpunksteph/status/671574874020667393
https://twitter.com/tallpunksteph/status/671575193639256064
https://twitter.com/tallpunksteph/status/671579009034133504
https://twitter.com/tallpunksteph/status/671579542138585088
