A western Sydney man who bludgeoned a ski resort supervisor whereas dressed as Chewbacca has refused to apologise to his sufferer earlier than being jailed for the “vicious” assault.
Keith Melvyn Wass, 54, stood within the dock of the NSW District Court carrying a white and pink colander on his head as he was jailed for not less than one yr and 4 months.
Wass brutally beat Kosciuszko Thredbo common supervisor Jordan Rodgers throughout the weird assault at Thredbo Resort in 2017.
He pleaded responsible to recklessly inflicting grievous bodily hurt however when he arrived at courtroom, he continued to refuse to apologise to his sufferer and made outlandish claims.
Asked exterior courtroom if he had any apologies for Mr Rodgers, Wass mentioned: “No, I really struggle with that given he knew I was there as part of my treatment plan recommended as crucial for my general rehabilitation”.
The Blaxland man, who subscribes to the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster, went on to assert that he was a sufferer of spiritual discrimination by the resort.
The courtroom has beforehand heard Wass wears a colander on his head as a part of his Pastafarian beliefs.
The August 12, 2017 stoush started after the resort obtained two complaints by way of electronic mail from involved dad and mom about Wass’ behaviour as a result of he was seen on the ski fields carrying a Chewbacca costume.
A heated argument broke out when Mr Rodgers advised Wass: “We’ve had complaints that kids are getting scared”.
“Hey I’m just Chewbacca,” Wass mentioned, in line with an agreed assertion of info.
During sentencing submissions on Friday, his barrister Peter Pearsall advised Judge Garry Neilson there had been no complaints from youngsters, including that one of many emails had the truth is mentioned that youngsters needed their footage taken with Wass in his Star Wars outfit.
“You’re seeking to justify what you client did,” Judge Nielsen mentioned.
“What I’m seeking to do is correct the factual basis of the crown submissions and secondly to explain to your honour the basis of the offender’s reaction,” Mr Pearsall mentioned.
“His criminal reaction,”Judge Nielsen mentioned.
Mr Pearsall added there was no justification for Wass’s behaviour.
When Wass was advised his move was being revoked, he picked up his snowboard, hitting Mr Rodgers on the jaw.
Mr Rodgers collapsed to the bottom earlier than Wass stood over him and continued to rain blows with the top of his board.
Three bystanders needed to drag Wass off his sufferer.
Judge Neilson mentioned that whereas ready for police to reach, Wass advised one other Thredbo employee: “I just decked Jordan and it made me feel so good, and I hit him with my snowboard as well. I would have kept going too.”
Mr Rodgers suffered in depth facial accidents, together with a extreme laceration close to the suitable nook of his mouth and three damaged enamel.
He needed to bear surgical procedure to dislodge enamel fragments, which had develop into lodged in his cheek.
The courtroom heard that in a sufferer impression assertion, Mr Rodgers mentioned he had no reminiscence of the assault however suffered anxiousness each time he noticed something related to the Star Wars films.
“I’m forever changed by the assault,” Mr Rodgers mentioned.
Judge Neilson described the assault as “vicious and brutal”, and famous Mr Rodgers may endure lifelong dental points.
“The event cannot be justified by the words exchanged prior to the incident,” Judge Neilson mentioned.
“Nothing justifies the infliction of violence.”
He famous that had been it not for bystanders, Wass would have continued to assault his sufferer.
Wass was jailed for two years and 4 months, with a non-parole interval of 1 yr and 4 months, and continued to put on the colander on his head as he was led away by Correctives Services officers.
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