A Sydney meth addict has been sentenced to a minimum of five years, three months' prison after footage emerged showing him randomly assaulting five different people across three hours while high.
Ricky Hema, 36, was charged for five different assaults after his January 2016 rampage, pleading guilty to four counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm and three of common assault.
In an explanation of the sentence, which could see Hema jailed for up to seven years, Judge Helen Syme said she was aware Hema's meth use made him paranoid and aggressive, and thus willing to cause injury to those around him.
CCTV footage, which was shown in court during his trial, shows Hema carrying out violent assaults on his victims. One clip is particularly harrowing, and is only allowed to be shown by the media in parts because of its brutal nature.
The footage is of Hema's attack on Oliver Goss, with the full footage showing Hema repeatedly kicking his head before a disturbing double-footed stomp to his skull.
Mr Goss was saved from a brain injury thanks to timely medical intervention, according to reports. He was knocked out in the attack and spent four days in hospital receiving treatment and recovering.
However, he was full of grace for the man who assaulted him as he exited court, saying he hoped Hema could be rehabilitated and blaming the attack on his meth use.
"The whole ice thing is a scourge on our society," Mr Goss explained.
"I just really want and hope that Mr Hema and his family and everyone involved can get on with their lives and hopefully progress and be part of society again."
In his meth-fuelled rampage, Hema was also caught by CCTV cameras punching two men in a hotel, one in a pub, and another while he drove his car.
Newshub.
