A magistrate has jailed a man that started a brawl outside Patonga Boat House earlier this year, triggered when he and his bucks party were refused entry.
On 23 February Joshua Norman Bovis, along with father Michael Andrew Bovis and other friends, were out celebrating Joshua’s pending nuptials.
After a stint at the Newport Arms, the caught the ferry to Patonga sometime after 6pm.
The group were all wearing bright Hawaiian shirts, and were deemed noticeably intoxicated and refused entry by security at the Boat House.
The 29-year-old groom to be from Woy Woy is said to have taken offence at this and slapped the doorman’s head several times.
Police were summoned and the younger Bovis identified by staff.
An officer attempted to arrest him, but was pushed away. Fearing repercussion, the officer deployed capsicum spray to the suspect, to which Joshua Bovis responded with “a flurry of five to six punches at (the Senior Constable) each of which struck him in the face and head” – according to a statement of agreed facts.
This sparked a “major violent confrontation”, including Michael joining in – obstructing police, before later hitting the security guard multiple times in the face, causing a broken jaw and loss of teeth.
Patrons at the hotel, particularly those with children, hurried to escape the chaos.
In Gosford Local Court both Bovis’ pleaded guilty to using violence to cause fear, assaulting police, and failing to quit a licensed premise, with senior also pleading guilty to recklessly inflicting grievous bodily harm.
Their barrister argued both were good family men acting out of character, citing how Michael had to face the shame of admitting his behaviour to his church associates, and Joshua accepting he has alcohol and anger issues, and attending counselling.
But while Magistrate Alan Railton was satisfied Bovis Snr warranted only an intensive corrections order (ICO), he sought to make example of his son, who clearly instigated the trouble, and importantly, struck a cop.
“The difficulty I have with an ICO is the assault on the police officer. It’s a matter where I feel rehabilitation is overweighed by a very strong statement of denunciation.
“The respect that used to exist for the uniform, we hear it anecdotally and see it here at court, doesn’t exist anymore.”
Michael Bovis was sentenced to a 12-month ICO, issued fines of $400, and ordered undertake 200 hours of community service.
Joshua Bovis was sentenced to 12 months jail with a non-parole period of nine months and fined $900. He immediately appealed the severity of the sentence.
