A man has been sentenced to less than two years’ prison for a brutal steroid-fuelled attack in late 2020, assaulting a security guard and leaving an innocent patron with permanent injuries.
Blakeview resident, 34-year-old Dale Ryan Lush, was drinking at the Salisbury Hotel in northern Adelaide on 21 October, 2020, with his partner, who worked at the pub.
The steroid-using Lush is estimated to have downed 30 standard drinks when around 9.30pm he believed he heard another patron make a derogatory remark toward him.
Lush responded by attacking, repeatedly punching the man in the face, even after he had fallen down, until pulled off by other patrons.
Exiting the venue, he got into a conflict with his girlfriend. A security guard stepped between them to intervene and was also punched in the face. Lush moved to get in his car before again attacking his girlfriend. The guard moved between them again and was punched in the face again, ultimately suffering bruising and damage to a tooth.
The victim from inside suffered two fractured eye sockets, requiring surgery and implantation of an artificial eye socket, as well as damage to his sinuses, causing breathing difficulties and frequent headaches, which doctors believe could be permanent. His recovery brought about financial loss that prevented him going ahead with plans for a new business.
A year on from the assault, he reported to the court his vision is still blurry and he still experiences headaches and numbness in his face, and that he experienced significant trauma in the incident.
“I was keeping to myself when I was viciously attacked by him. I really feared for my life. I did nothing to provoke him and I struggled to understand why anyone would cause such a savage act and have no respect for human life.”
Lush pleaded guilty to assault causing harm and aggravated assault. His counsel argued he has made significant steps with his alcohol and substance abuse issues, and requested Judge Ian Press of the District Court consider imposing a suspended sentence.
Prosecutor Clare Mingorance noted how the vicious attack was unprovoked and called for an immediate prison sentence.
In sentencing, Judge Press acknowledged that Lush believed something had been said that provoked him, although a witness corroborated during the hearing that nothing had been said. He also noted Lush had grown up in a violent household – but stressed it did not make the result any less serious.
“It provides no excuse or justification for the extremely aggressive and violent behaviour in which you then engaged.”
Last week Lush was sentenced and imprisoned for a year and 11 months.
He will be eligible for parole in February 2023.
i have been a publican for thirty years in the same hotel and love the industry and dont want to be negative but we have been hammered by the authorities with rules and regulations that have no bearing on commonsense any more my attitude is that if patrons are having fun you dont have problems in my pub if a idiot like dale lush with an attitude problem came in he would have been sorted out quickly by myself or my patrons for example i had a few years ago had a young lady dancing on a pole in the middle of my bar and was reprimanded over it the inspector from liqouor and gambling told me it was the worst thing he had ever seen in a pub to which i replied even in adelaide he said yes and i said probably because they where outside doing things they should not be doing which he told not to be smart the next when he came in and called me BOY topped it off we dont need security guards unless we have a big event your people like you dale lush with an “i am the man attitude would be sorted out quickly he king hits someone whose life has been affected forever and gets a pathetic sentance because he has been treated badly in his life has a crook back or mental healh issues but can walk in to a pub and king hit some innocent person the authorities hammer us but a lot of these issues should be nipped in the bud before they reach the pub i am not bagging the police they have been great on the odd occasion when i have needed them but they must be so frustrated when they have to deal with a dale lush and the dogooders jump on the bandwagon and say o the poor fellow he has had a bad upbringing there is no more you have to be resposible for your own actions anymore