Prosecutors claim a magistrate was wrong to let an Olympic boxing hopeful off without convictions following a random New Year's Eve attack that has drawn comparisons with a drug-fuelled murder.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Lorenz Daley, 20, was "tripping" on LSD when he accosted an unsuspecting couple as the pair sat in a car in Gowrie.
He tried to yank the woman out the vehicle, then repeatedly punched her and her partner while boasting: "Look at me, I'm a stallion."
Daley pleaded guilty to two counts of common assault over the attack, which one of the victims described as "animalistic, vicious and horrific".
Defence lawyer Michael Kukulies-Smith told the ACT Magistrates Court in March that Daley was very lucky not to have seriously hurt the couple, pointing out the eerie similarities between this incident and the 2019 murder of elderly man Richard Cater in Palmerston.
Both episodes involved young men becoming uncharacteristically violent and attacking strangers for no apparent reason while experimenting with the drug commonly known as "acid".
Special Magistrate Jane Campbell ultimately decided at Daley's sentencing to dismiss both of his charges, saying she believed the 20-year-old had "well and truly learnt his lesson".
She had earlier heard that criminal convictions might impact on Daley's work with children and the highly rated boxer's chances of gaining Olympic selection.
The office of the Director of Public Prosecutions is now challenging the non-conviction orders, with prosecutor Nathan Deakes recently lodging an appeal that describes them as "manifestly inadequate".
In documents filed in the ACT Supreme Court, Mr Deakes said the office would seek that the superior court set aside Ms Campbell's orders and re-sentence Daley.
The appeal has been listed for directions on Thursday, when it is expected a hearing date will be set.
Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content:
- Bookmark canberratimes.com.au
- Download our app
- Make sure you are signed up for our breaking and regular headlines newsletters
- Follow us on Twitter
- Follow us on Instagram