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A Mardi Gras reveller who allegedly punched two teenage girls in the face was put on probation for basing a woman just a week earlier.
Jesse Leilan MacKenzie, 29, was one of three men charged with assault and affray over a shocking brawl caught on camera in Sydney on Saturday night.
Mobile phone footage played in court showed the vicious brawl between a group of people including three girl and four men at Pirrama Park in Pyrmont.
Two 16-year-old girls were taken to hospital with facial injuries and a possible concussion, and a 15-year-old girl later came forward to police.
MacKenzie was arrested along with William Shepley, 23, and Hong Ben Lee, 21, near the scene and face several charges over the brawl. A fourth man is on the run.
Jesse Leilan MacKenzie, 29, (centre) was arrested along with William Shepley, 23, (right) and Hong Ben Lee, 21, (left) near the scene and face several charges over the brawl
He was charged with two counts of assault and one of affray – which has a maximum penalty of 10 years’ jail.
He faced Sydney’s Central Local Court on Tuesday afternoon and was refused bail by Magistrate Robert Williams after hearing his lengthy criminal history.
The court heard MacKenzie was put on a community corrections order on February 26 for assaulting another woman in August 2020.
He was on five such orders for different crimes, including for breaching a restraining order earlier in February, and also had an assault conviction from 2013 against a woman.
MacKenzie, appearing on video link from Parklea jail, grabbed his head and let out several loud anguished sighs when bail refused.
Police prosecutor Sergeant Edwards played the video, which is circulating on social media, for the court and pointed out who he said was MacKenzie, wearing a dark shirt.
He described to the court how the accused allegedly punched a woman in the face then threw more punches at both girls.
‘[The victims were] thrown to the floor, dragged, punched and stomped on,’ Sergeant Edwards said.
‘Males acting in a very destructive manner of such size and strength shows they clearly did not did not need to resort to that violence.’
The court heard MacKenzie was put on a community corrections order on February 26 for assaulting another woman in August 2020
Shocking footage has captured the moment three men allegedly viciously assaulted two teenage girls
Police allege the two groups had been arguing before the dispute spilled over into violence
CCTV caught the shocking moment one girl was knocked to the floor and kicked in the face in the inner city park after enjoying Mardi Gras celebrations.
In another part of the footage, one girl was dragged by her hair for 5m and thrown over a concrete ledge before being stomped on her head.
Police alleged the two groups, who were not known to each other, were arguing before the dispute turned violent.
Sergeant Edwards said the objective seriousness of MacKenzie’s alleged actions was high and aggravated by the age of the victims and the presence of children.
Further aggravation was his criminal history and his alleged breach of his community corrections orders.
‘The victim was of small build and, without causing offence, she was of young appearance, and he is much larger,’ Sergeant Edwards said.
The prosecutor opposed bail, arguing MacKenzie had a history of violence towards women and not complying with orders.
He also argued the accused was likely to be jailed and thus may skip bail or interfere with prosecution witnesses.
MacKenzie’s defence lawyer Mostafa Daoudie appeared irritated with the strong description of the incident used by the prosecution.
‘This is a release application, not a sentencing hearing,’ he said.
Pictured: Four men at the Pyrmont park. A witness to the brawl claimed the girls had stepped in to protect their male friends
Mr Daoudie told the court MacKenzie suffered from anxiety and depression, dating back to 2018 when his sister and best friend took their own lives in the space of a week.
He was seeing a psychologist, the court heard.
The lawyer said intoxication was a contributing factor to the alleged attack and asked for bail with the condition that MacKenzie didn’t drink alcohol.
Other proposed conditions included house arrest to leave only for work, reporting to police, and medical reasons, to follow a curfew and to not contact his co-accused or witnesses.
However, Magistrate Roberts refused bail as he considered the prosecution case strong and there was an unacceptable risk he would commit another act of violence.
He agreed MacKenzie had a history of violence and ignoring court orders, and that he was a flight risk who could interfere with witnesses.
‘Given the seriousness of this matter it is likely it will be a custodial sentence, if he is found guilty, he said.
The brawl happened as Mardi Gras celebrations wound down following a Covid-safe parade at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
Three men have already been charged and remain before the courts after an alleged assault involving three teenage girls in Pyrmont on Saturday (pictured: one of the alleged attackers arrested)
Shepley was charged with two counts of assault and one of affray, and Lee one count of assault and one of affray.
Both did not apply for bail in Central Local Court on Tuesday morning.
Police are still searching for a fourth man over the savage brawl, but believe he will be found before long.
‘Police are seeking a fourth man who they will allege was also involved in a one-punch attack,’ NSW Police Acting Superintendent Paul Dunstan said on Monday.
‘We have quality footage of this incident and we are appealing for that man to come forward, because we are in the process of conducting our investigations and expect to arrest him in the next few days.’
The fourth man was described as a caucasian male in his early 20s, with short black hair, wearing a coloured hoodie, black shorts, and distinctive blue shoes.
All three men were refused bail to appear before Parramatta Bail Court on Sunday (pictured: one of the three attackers arrested)
A New South Wales Police spokesman said three men aged between 21 to 29 years old have been charged over the alleged assault (pictured: one of the alleged attackers arrested)
Police confirmed that three teenagers were allegedly assaulted in the horrific one-punch attack.
‘Three men were arrested, all aged in their 20s, and I can report that three young women, two aged 16 and one aged 15 years of age, were all [allegedly] assaulted,’ Act Supt Dunstan said.
‘Two were subject to savage one-punch attacks to the head and face areas. Two of those women were taken to Royal Prince Alfred Hospital where they received treatment for facial injuries and possible concussion.’
A witness and friend of the girls claimed they stepped in to protect their male friends.
‘There is no excuse for their actions,’ the witness wrote in an Instagram post.
‘The worst thing any of us have ever had to see, with my group of 16-year-old girls having to deal with this horrific situation.’
‘Cannot begin to explain what has happened and how much it has affected us. Two of the strongest girls going.’
All three men were refused bail to appear before Parramatta Bail Court on Sunday.
Investigations are ongoing.
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