A 30-year-old kicked a man and a police officer in the head, leaving them with what a magistrate described as "quite graphic" injuries.
John Michael Watts, 30, received a suspended jail sentence in the ACT Magistrates Court on Thursday, July 30, after pleading guilty to charges including assault occasioning actual bodily harm and assault of a frontline community service provider.
As part of the sentence, he was placed on a 12-month good behaviour order.
Police were called to a Canberra property on November 29, 2025, after Watts fought with a man and kicked him in the head while he was on the ground, leaving a gash on his forehead.
The court heard that during his arrest, Watts also kicked a female detective sergeant in the head and attempted to grab another officer's genitals.
Photographs of the victims' injuries were tendered to the court on Thursday.
"Those photos are really unpleasant to look at," Magistrate Alexandra Burt said.
Watts' defence lawyer said the man was "incredibly embarrassed" by his actions and had experienced "a kind of trauma response".
She said the assault occurred while Watts was heavily intoxicated and described the experience as a "wake-up call" for him.
Since then, the court heard he had stopped using drugs and alcohol, engaged with a psychiatrist for mental health treatment and had been working in NSW.
While his lawyer said the 55 days Watts had spent in custody served as a sufficient jail sentence, the prosecutor argued that additional time behind bars was warranted for the crime
Referencing the victims' injuries, the prosecutor said it was a "very serious example" of assault and raised concerns that some of Watts' comments after the attack showed little insight into his actions
In sentencing, Ms Burt highlighted the dangerous nature of the assault, noting that it targeted a vulnerable part of the body.
"Any time someone's head is injured like that there really can be long-term impacts," the magistrate said.
However, she acknowledged the man's rehabilitation, including his commitment to sobriety, mental health treatment and engagement with support services.
"I'm glad to hear you have decided to commit to sobriety," she said.
"I hope you have formed a firm commitment to that."
