A former Junior Wallabies player who fractured a man's skull in a one-punch attack has going back to jail despite breaching the terms of his suspended sentence by committing another assault.
Isaiah Jordan Latu, 22, sent his victim "flying through the air" and knocked him unconscious in a drunken attack in Civic in 2017.
The man was left with "complex skull fractures" that shattered his dreams of becoming a police officer, and Latu was sentenced in April last year to 20 months in jail.
But the young rugby union star was released after serving five months behind bars, with the remaining 15 months suspended and a two-year good behaviour order attached to the sentence.
Less than two months after leaving jail, Latu got drunk in Civic again and committed a common assault, for which he received a $700 fine in the ACT Magistrates Court.
He then returned to the ACT Supreme Court last week to be re-sentenced for the 2017 offence in light of him breaching the good behaviour order attached to his suspended sentence.
"The similarity between the original offence and the breach offence is obvious," Chief Justice Helen Murrell said.
Chief Justice Murrell said an offender in a situation like this would usually be required to serve "a significant portion" of their suspended sentence.
But Latu was "a person of great promise" who deserved another chance following a difficult start in life, the judge said.
Chief Justice Murrell said Latu's upbringing had been marred by domestic violence, with brutality "an accepted way of life".
"He was raised in fear, and violence was always the response to frustration or conflict," she said.
But Latu was now surrounded by people who were helping him deal with issues including alcohol abuse.
"The offender has gained significant insight into the link between alcohol and violence," Chief Justice Murrell said.
"He has very significant sporting talent and is a rugby union player
"He has been identified as someone with leadership capacity."
Chief Justice Murrell noted the evidence of Latu's rugby union coach, who told the court the 22-year-old had an excellent work ethic.
The coach also said Latu was respectful, interacted well with children and was very gentle when not under the influence of alcohol.
"Clearly, the offender needs assistance in relation to underlying issues which have led to criminal conduct," Chief Justice Murrell said.
"He has consulted a doctor, who has referred him to a psychologist to deal with some of those issues."
The judge said the support around Latu and the 22-year-old's commitment to sobriety in recent months meant she was "prepared to give him a further opportunity".
Chief Justice Murrell cancelled the good behaviour order and re-sentenced Latu to 15 months in jail, but ordered that the sentence be served by way of an intensive correction order in the community.
"Mr Latu, I hope you are able to maintain yourself free of offences during the period of this order because if you were to commit another offence of this type, or any serious offence, it would be more or less unavoidable that you would be sentenced to full-time imprisonment, which I am sure that you wish to avoid," the judge said.
