When Jacob John Davies saw two young women involved in an angry confrontation with Ngatokoitu Teao in the Crown Street Mall early one Sunday morning, he didn’t think twice about stepping in.
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But now that decision, and those he made over the course of the next four minutes, have cost him dearly.
What began as “an act of chivalry” quickly descended into a violent, chaotic brawl that left Mr Teao unconscious on the ground and Davies facing criminal charges.
CCTV footage played during Davies sentencing hearing in Wollongong Local Court shows Mr Teao and the women having a conversation near the 7Eleven in the western end of the mall in the early hours of August 13 last year.
The conversation appears amicable at first – one of the women is seen wearing Mr Teao’s jumper – however it quickly turns heated, prompting the woman to return Mr Teao’s jumper and start walknig off.
Meantime, the camera captures Davies approach the 7Eleven from the north. His attention is captured by the mall scene and he hovers outside the entry door, watching what unfolds.
A further confrontation occurs and a friend ushers the women away from Mr Teao, towards the 7Eleven.
Mr Teao too spins around, apparently ready to put the situation behind him, when one of the females turns and makes another remark.
This prompts Mr Teao to walk after them, however Davies, hands in his pockets, deliberately steps between Mr Teao and the retreating women.
Mr Teao can be seen dropping his shoulder into Davies’ chest, eliciting a series of angry and aggressive shoves from Davies, who then lays into Mr Teao with a series of punches and an attempted knee to the face.
Mr Teao’s friend, Ronaldi Rivas, attempts to intervene to stop the assault, however Davies turns on him, almost knocking him out with a series of punches.
Bystanders try to restrain Davies but he breaks free from their hold and charges towards Mr Teao again, laying into him with another brutal punch.
The brawl moves closer towards the 7Eleven shopfront, with Mr Teao and Mr Rivas wrestling with Davies wrestling for control.
The footage shows Mr Teao and Mr Rivas appearing to gain the upper hand over Davies, with both men holding him by the jumper while throwing a series of upper cut-style punches.
However, Davies manages to strike the men and throw them into a shopfront, causing them both to fall to the ground in a dazed state.
Davies then appears to stomp on Mr Teao’s head before Mr Rivas again intervenes and Davies runs off.
Paramedics were called and transported Mr Teao to hospital where he was treated for a fractured right eye socket and swelling, cuts and bruises to his face and head.
Mr Rivas was treated for cuts and bruising to his face and mouth.
Police obtained footage of the incident and posted a picture of Davies on Facebook seeking public help to identify him.
Davies handed himself in at Wollongong Police Station five days later and was charged with affray, to which he subsequently pleaded guilty.
Defence lawyer Lemar Miakhel sought a non-custodial sentence for his client in court on Tuesday, saying Davies had a limited criminal record, was working full time at a local restaurant and had been assessed as a low risk of reoffending.
However, Magistrate Peter Thompson found Davies’ crime was too serious to warrant anything other than full-time prison.
“I’m confronted by the actions of the accused to a person who was defenceless on the ground,” he said.
“I accept he believed he was being chivalrous in protecting the women and that he was coming to their aid.
“But the CCTV footage largely speaks for itself….there’s a serious degree of moral culpability in his actions.”
Magistrate Thompson sentenced Davies to 11 months’ jail with a non-parole period of five months.
He will be released to parole in March next year.
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