But Dean O'Brien's lawyer has told a court the 24-year-old will argue investigators have ignored key details that might show he acted in self-defence.

Police released images of Mr O'Brien and two others on Saturday as they called for information on an incident that had occurred in Holt the previous weekend.

Mr O'Brien, who lives in Gungahlin, subsequently saw a picture of himself on Facebook and handed himself in at City Police Station about 8.20am on Wednesday.

When he appeared in the ACT Magistrates Court a few hours later, he was formally charged with recklessly inflicting grievous bodily harm.

Police documents tendered to the court say Mr O'Brien was at the Moby Dick's Tavern with two other men when they began talking to the victim in the early hours of July 17.

At about 12.44am, the camouflage-clad Irishman is said to have stood up from a stool and punched the victim twice in the head.

"The impact from these punches caused [the victim] to fall backwards, hit his head on the table behind him and fall to the floor," police allege.

"At this point, [Mr O'Brien] stood over [the victim] and punched him a further seven to eight times with alternating closed fists whilst [the victim] was on the ground."

According to police, Irishman then walked away with his companions as the victim began spitting out blood and some of his own teeth.

Another man subsequently helped the "visibly dazed" victim call an ambulance.

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The victim was taken to Canberra Hospital, where he was found to have suffered a fractured nose and jaw.

Several of his teeth were either missing or chipped, and he was also concussed.

Police say the man, who had no recollection of what had happened, returned to the tavern after being released from hospital and began "shaking".

Officers who were called to the scene by paramedics obtained CCTV footage of the incident.

"Police noted that the assault ... appeared unprovoked and sudden," court documents say.

Mr O'Brien's lawyer, Adrian McKenna, applied for him to be released on bail on Wednesday.

He did not enter a plea but said the issue of self-defence would "likely arise".

Mr McKenna told the court one of Mr O'Brien's companions was expected to give evidence that the victim had been holding a glass and saying words to the effect of "I will stab you in the eye" immediately prior to the incident.

The lawyer also said the 24-year-old had been informed he would likely face "difficulties" with a bail application given he was already on conditional liberty in relation to an alleged affray in NSW, but he had nevertheless handed himself in.

Mr McKenna added that any trial was likely to be at least nine months away, and that Mr O'Brien's employer was willing to provide a $10,000 cash surety to secure his release.

But a prosecutor argued none of these things were special or exceptional circumstances, which Mr O'Brien needed to establish in order to have a bail application considered in light of his outstanding charge in NSW.

Chief Magistrate Lorraine Walker agreed and remanded the Irishman in custody.

Mr O'Brien is due back in court on August 18.

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