Alleged king hitter's criminal record revealed

The man accused of leaving a Sydney teenager in a coma following a New Year's Eve king hit has avoided prison four times for assault, court documents reveal.

Shaun McNeil, who allegedly claimed to be a mixed martial artist, is accused of punching Daniel Christie, 18, in the head as he walked through Kings Cross with his brother on Tuesday night, the Daily Telegraph reports.

The attack took place only metres from the site where teenage king hit victim Thomas Kelly was killed in 2012.

Mr Christie remains in a critical condition and is likely to be left with brain damage, a spokesman from St Vincent's Hospital said.

Now McNeil's criminal record, obtained through tendered court documents, reveals four assaults, at least two of them against women as well as two breaches of apprehended domestic violence orders.

The documents show that McNeil also breached his good behaviour bond through excessive drinking, possessing a knife and possessing drugs.

The maximum penalty for common assault and breaching an AVO is a two-year jail sentence.

But the closest the labourer came to imprisonment was a six-month suspended sentence for a 2009 Valentine's Day assault and breached domestic AVO.

Details of McNeil's run of judicial luck comes as 20 state MPs yesterday supported mandatory minimum sentences for "coward-punch" offences that result in death.

"It's just more of the same. Jail must be a really hard joint to get into," retired assistant commissioner Ken McKay said yesterday.

NSW Police Association president Scott Weber said courts are far too lenient on violent offenders and officers were sick and tired of seeing the same people out on the street time and time again.

"We lock people up, and then they are out on bail or parole or a good behaviour bond the next day," he said.

Acting Justice Minister Michael Gallacher said it was the courts' responsibility to impose a sentence that matches the severity of the crime but also to revoke privileges when criminals reoffend.

Police Prosecutor Sergeant Lisa McEvoy said McNeil was celebrating in the city from 9am (AEST) on Tuesday and had drunk around eight beers and one glass of wine.

Sgt McEvoy said the police facts in the case were "horrific".

"This was completely unprovoked," she said.

According to information tendered in court, McNeil had just left the Punchbowl bar in Kings Cross with his girlfriend when he got into a verbal altercation with two young men and an unidentified boy, who the accused claimed tried to sell him drugs.

After allegedly telling them he was a mixed martial arts fighter, McNeil struck the boy before punching both of his friends, causing them to fall to the ground, the court heard.

As the boy ran one way, the two men ran down the street and attempted to hide behind Mr Christie, who was then allegedly targeted by McNeil.

When Daniel Christie's brother Peter tried to intervene, McNeil then turned on him, allegedly punching him and splitting his lip.

McNeil, 25, faced Parramatta Bail Court via videolink on Wednesday where he cried as he was refused bail.

He has been charged with one count of causing grievous bodily harm to Daniel Christie, one count of assaulting Peter Christie, and two counts of common assault.

Wearing a forensic suit, he said little during his court appearance on Wednesday.

The court heard McNeil told police he was acting to protect his girlfriend Sonya Walker, who records revealed became one of his victims when he assaulted her on New Year's Eve 2011.

The documents show the couple had an argument over her clothing in the Scary Canary Hotel on Kent St in the CBD about 1am.

Two passers-by were forced to come to Ms Walker's aid after McNeil pushed her up against a street pole and squeezed her so hard she had difficulty breathing.

Police told Ms Walker she was too intoxicated to make a statement and advised McNeil to stay away from the unit the couple shared until later that day.

He was later placed on a 12-month good behaviour bond after failing to report to officers.

Court documents reveal another victim was a female friend he met at a local RSL club where CCTV footage captured him grabbing her by the throat.

McNeil's lawyer said he was "very sad" when he heard about Mr Christie's life-threatening injuries.

Registrar Chris Steptoe refused bail, noting the "current climate" of unprovoked assaults in Sydney.

McNeil will face court again on Monday.

Source: Daily Telegraph
Author: Chloe Ross, Approving editor: Martin Zavan