James Longworth jailed for one-punch attack on security guard Fady Taiba
The Sydney Morning Herald
Emma Partridge
February 18.2016
James Ian Longworth was stumbling after 10 schooners of beer when he made the decision to clench his fist and throw a life-changing blow.
Now he will spend a minimum of three years in jail for punching Sydney bouncer Fady Taiba, leaving him in a coma for 19 days and with lifelong injuries.
Longworth, 35, was sentenced in the NSW District Court to a maximum of four years and 10 months imprisonment on Thursday.
James Ian Longworth outside court during his trial. Photo: James Brickwood
"Sometimes serious crimes are committed by good people," Judge Richard Cogswell said during his sentencing remarks
Outside court, Mr Taiba's son Adam disagreed.
"No way, an educated person would know that a crime is a crime and you would know when to back out. I'm 19 years old and I know what James Longworth did was wrong ... there is no good criminal," he said.
Bouncer Fady Taiba with his wife Danielle outside the Downing Centre. Photo: Edwina Pickles
"We hope that this helps future victims. We just hope this never happens again to anyone."
Mr Taiba said he was happy with the punishment Longworth was given.
"I'm happy, it's a relief and all I can say to Longworth is you made your bed, now lie in it, think of what you did.
"We got a good outcome and we need to make future examples of these perpetrators, these offenders, these cowards," he said.
Longworth had embarked on a heavy drinking session with mates at the Concourse Bar, near Wynyard station on the night of September 6, 2013, after learning that his father's ashes had been lost.
A decision was then made to carry on at Bar 333 on George Street.
Mr Taiba, a father-of-four, was working as a bouncer at the front when he saw Longworth stumbling and refused him entry.
Security footage captured Longworth walking away, before rushing back moments later and striking Mr Taiba.
"He fell like a tree," one witness said during Longworth's trial.
Longworth said he "lashed out".
In October a jury found Longworth, a graduate of prominent Sydney private school Cranbrook who worked at UBS investment bank, guilty of recklessly inflicting grievous bodily harm but not guilty of the more serious charge of intentionally inflicting grievous bodily harm.
"I do not accept that there was a degree of planning. However, the punch was not instinctive and immediate," Judge Cogswell said on Thursday.
He said a number of character references had led him to believe that Longworth "was a very decent human being" and that the one-punch attack was "very out of character".
Judge Cogswell said the offender's depression was a mitigating factor but the fact that he was heavily intoxicated had no impact on the length of his sentence.
Mr Taiba was on the operating table when his wife Danielle read his victim impact statement to the court in December last year.
He suffered a traumatic brain injury,, spent three months in hospital and continues to undergo rehabilitation, requiring medication to manage seizures.
"The scar is a constant reminder of what happened that night and will be with me until the day I die," his statement said.
"My once normal life has been destroyed by one person's actions," he said.
"I'm not the person my wife married. I have lost my way."
At his sentencing hearing, Longworth read an apology in the witness box.
"I still can't believe what I did and I'm utterly appalled at my disgraceful actions," he said.
"I know there is no way you can forgive me; I won't be forgiving myself either."
traumatic brain injury, his mother on the cheek and gave her a quick hug before he was taken away by Corrective Services officers.
He will be eligible for parole in February 2019.