An Adelaide man has been released from jail after bashing a Californian busker with his own ukulele at a performance in Rundle Mall during Adelaide Fringe.
Barry Phillip Siecker, 29, was on Monday sentenced in the Adelaide Magistrates Court to three months and 21 days' jail, suspended after two-and-a-half months — allowing for his immediate release.
The sentence was suspended on the condition he be of good behaviour for 12 months.
Siecker pleaded guilty to one count of aggravated assault relating to the busker attack, along with unrelated counts of theft and carrying an offensive weapon.
US performer Matt Eberhart, who performs under the name Banana Man, was dressed as a pencil and busking in Rundle Mall during the Adelaide Fringe when Siecker suddenly picked up his ukulele and bashed him with it in front of shocked onlookers.
The court was told Siecker took offence to something Mr Eberhart had said during his performance.
Magistrate Simon Smart said Siecker — who had a "turbulent upbringing" — suffered from a mental illness and had stopped taking his medication in the lead-up to the assault.
"At the time of the offending in February this year, you had become non-compliant, you weren't taking the drugs prescribed to you, which was of an anti-psychotic nature," he said.
"Using your words, you went 'a bit loopy' and [were] not thinking about what you were doing.
"The offending was serious — assaults on members of the public are common."
He gave Siecker a stern warning of what could happen if he goes off his medication again.
