Man 'forgot' he was holding glass

A MAN walking his dog had to rush home bleeding from a 10cm gash to his face after being glassed at random by Duane Everett Warcon.

The 19-year-old claims he was protecting his friends when he smashed a glass to the side of a man’s face as he ran past the Allenstown Hotel on May 6.

He says he only meant to throw a punch and forgot he had a glass in his hand at the time.

Yesterday Warcon pleaded guilty in Rockhampton’s Magistrates Court to assault occasioning bodily harm while armed.

Police prosecutor Barbara Barton said the altercation started when two of Warcon’s friends exited the hotel at 8.30pm – the same time the man was going past.

One of the friends kicked the man’s dog for no reason and a verbal argument started.

That’s when Warcon joined in and hit the man from behind.

As he smashed the glass on the victim’s face it shattered.

Warcon and his friends were quick to flee the scene.

However the entire incident was captured on video surveillance (see above).

The man was forced to run home and call an ambulance himself.

He was then rushed into surgery and spent two days in hospital.

Defence solicitor Anthony DeFraine said Warcon wasn’t “overly drunk” when he saw his friends in an argument and reacted.

“He just saw a big guy in an altercation with his friends,” he said.

Magistrate Cameron Press said the offence was very serious because it was unprovoked.

“I need to send a message to the community that these offences are not tolerated even though it’s happening more and more,” he said.

Warcon was sentenced to 10 months prison but was granted an immediate parole release due to his involvement with Helem Yumba, a community welfare centre that supports Indigenous people.