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Man jailed over Palm revenge bashing
Monday, 11 December 2006
9:19:06 AM
By Dave Donaghy
TOWNSVILLE, December 11, 2006: A man has been jailed for a revenge attack on the police liaison officer who was in the Palm Island island watchhouse when Mulrunji Doomadgee was killed two years ago.
Albert James Wotton, 22, was on Friday sentenced in the Townsville District Court to two years jail after he pleaded guilty to assaulting off-duty police liaison officer Lloyd Bengaroo in April last year.
He will be eligible for parole after eight months.
The assault at Happy Valley, near Townsville, occurred five months after Mulrunji's death in custody that sparked violent riots on the island.
Mr Bengaroo was in the island's watchhouse with Senior Sergeant Chris Hurley when Mulrunji died from serious injuries after being arrested for being a public nuisance.
In September this year, acting state coroner Christine Clements found Snr Sgt Hurley delivered the fatal blows that killed Mulrunji.
Snr Sgt Hurley has been stood down with full pay while the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) decides if he will be charged.
On April 22, 2005, Mr Bengaroo had been drinking with friends in a Townsville pub when they decided to continue on with another group at Happy Valley, the court was told by prosecutors.
He was approached by another man, Gerard Nuggins, who started to abuse him, claiming he was responsible for Mulrunji's death, before kicking and punching him.
The court was told while Mr Bengaroo was on his knees, Wotton joined in, kicking him twice in the head.
Mr Bengaroo needed hospital attention for cuts to his face and knees. - AAP
SEE ALSO: State Coroner Christine Clements' findings on the case in the downloads section of NIT. A breakdown of the report can also be found in the related links below.
Related Links
http://www.nit.com.au/News/story.aspx?id=8016
http://www.nit.com.au/News/story.aspx?id=8924
http://www.nit.com.au/BreakingNews/story.aspx?id=8882
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