Jockey Ashley Butler was celebrating one of the biggest wins of his career in a central Queensland nightclub when he was hit with a one-punch "gutless" unprovoked attack in May last year.
Today, Rockhampton man Jeriah Mishael Wills, 23, pleaded guilty to one count of grievous bodily harm in the District Court in Rockhampton and was sentenced to three years in prison.
He will serve six months behind bars, with the remainder of his sentence suspended.
Mr Butler was at the Zodiac Nightclub in the early hours of May 8, 2022, after winning the popular feature slot race The Archer when Wills followed him into the bathroom and "without warning" punched him in the head.
In his sentencing remarks, Judge Jeffrey Clark described the attack as "gutless".
"You went back to your mates and re-enacted your gutless attack," Judge Clark said.
The court heard Wills told other people at the nightclub Mr Butler had spat on him, but CCTV footage confirmed there had been no earlier interaction between the two men.
'Heartbreaking' impact on family
Judge Clark told the court during sentencing that Mr Butler's jaw was badly fractured in five places, he experienced nerve damage, as well as requiring several teeth to be removed.
He said the jockey is still unable to chew on one side of his mouth and his family experienced financial hardship while Mr Butler was receiving medical treatment in Brisbane.
"He lost the opportunity to secure more lucrative rides after being successful on that particular day," Judge Clark said.
"His own daughter did not recognise his swollen and bruised face, which must have been heartbreaking for him."
Mr Butler said he still experienced social anxiety going out in public after the attack.
"When I do go out for dinner, or to a public toilet, it is in the back of my mind still," he said.
"It shouldn't happen.
"It could have ended up a lot worse than what it actually did, but they say 'one hit can kill' and luckily it didn't."
Mr Butler said the incident overshadowed the significance of his win as the only local rider in the inaugural race, and it put his family in financial distress.
"My bills had back logged. No sooner than I'd gotten my prize money it was all gone," he said.
Incident 'out of character'
Crown prosecutor Luke Smoothy read out Mr Butler's victim statement which indicated he was also unable to eat solid food for a year.
"It's an example of cowardly and gratuitous violence which is, unfortunately, all to common among drunk young men," he said.
Defence counsel Sheridan Shaw said her client had expressed remorse and shame, and she apologised to Mr Butler and his family on Wills' behalf in the courtroom.
Judge Clark accepted the incident was out of character for Wills but told the court there was a need for community deterrence in sentencing.
"That you had acted out in the context of excessive alcohol consumption on this day … cannot afford you anything by way of mitigation in penalty," he said.
Wills was supported by his family in court while he was taken into custody.
Mr Butler has returned to racing in recent months.
