Family gutted by sentences

The father of a Warnbro teenager who was left deaf in one ear after a brutal bashing last year says his family is bitterly disappointed with the sentencing of some of the offenders.

Two teenage offenders were last week each given a two-year stint behind bars over the assault of 18-year-old Jimi Brewer-Joyce, while 20-year-old Abdul-Latif Hafza was handed a 20-month jail term in the District Court.

Father Andrew Joyce said the sentencing did not fit the crime.

Jimi was attacked with baseball bats, hockey sticks, golf clubs and pool cues outside a petrol station on Safety Bay Road last July.

The then 17-year-old was left with a fractured skull, bleeding on the brain, fractures to his facial bones and loss of hearing to one ear.

Mr Joyce said looking back on last year’s incident still made him feel angry.

“I just think they need to rethink the severity of the crime, it is grievous bodily harm and someone has lost their hearing from it for no good reason,” he said.

“You would expect four or five years, that is what I was sort of thinking.”

Mr Joyce said overall the family was disappointed with the result.

He said his son’s condition meant he was unable to enjoy some of his favourite pastimes.

“They can’t fix it, it is permanent now,” he said.

“He can still do quite a lot of things but things like diving, snorkelling — this summer he hasn’t been able (to do).”