A Sydney man might stroll free from jail subsequent month after mendacity to police that two African males and never a bunch of youths he knew had allegedly fatally bashed teenager Jason Galleghan within the metropolis’s west.
Harley Shaun Bartolo was at a Doonside residence on August 4, 2021 when the 16-year-old boy was lured in and allegedly viciously bashed by a big group, some kids, who suspected him of stealing some Apple AirPods.
In sentencing the 29-year-old at Parramatta District Court on Tuesday, Choose Ian Bourke was scathing of the sustained bashing, which took over half an hour as a number of alleged assailants kicked, punched and slammed Jason’s head right into a bed room wall.
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“The agreed details can solely be described as horrific. Many, the truth is most individuals, would discover it arduous to imagine {that a} group of people, a few of them kids, could possibly be able to such conduct,” the choose stated.
“The assault can solely be described as a sustained frenzy of savagery and cruelty of the very best order.”
An additional 10 alleged co-offenders, together with 5 who have been youngsters on the time of the incident, have been charged over the Doonside bashing.
Their instances are nonetheless ongoing within the courts.
Bartolo was sentenced to a most sentence of 25 months. Backdated from when he was taken into custody on October 8, 2021, this may finish on November 7 this 12 months. His non-parole interval of 17 months will expire on March 7.
Transferred to Westmead Hospital after the assault, Jason died on August 6 with the reason for demise being a number of accidents to the pinnacle, neck, trunk and limbs in addition to a fractured jaw, clotting in his lungs, and mind harm as a result of lack of oxygen.
Bartolo didn’t participate within the alleged assault however spent more often than not within the residence’s lounge room, solely going into the bed room to retrieve his cell phone.
When the police arrived on the scene after the alleged perpetrators had fled, he falsely claimed that two “Sudanese males” had carried out the assault. These lies have been later repeated in an announcement he made at Blacktown Police Station.
The Werrington man later back-tracked on these statements, coming clear with the police, after which pleading responsible to 1 cost of being an adjunct after the very fact to inflicting grievous bodily hurt after the matter hit the courts.
Choose Bourke stated Bartolo’s false statements to the police have been a aware resolution totally different from a claimed concern that, if he intervened whereas the alleged assault was ongoing, he would additionally turn into a goal of the assault.
“The offender’s makes an attempt to mislead the police have been fairly spontaneous, comparatively short-lived and didn’t contain any sophistication or planning,” he stated.
The choose famous the affect of the occasions on those that knew and beloved the teenage boy.
“The courtroom extends its condolences to Jason’s mom and household for his or her horrible struggling and loss,” he stated.
In handing down his sentence, the choose took under consideration Bartolo’s “borderline” mental disabilities, which left him open to being manipulated and exploited by others.
“It’s possible that these issues which the offender has skilled for many of his life did play some half within the fee of the offence, particularly the offender’s poor resolution to inform lies to the police,” he stated.
The choose additionally famous that this may be Bartolo’s first time in custody which had been made “very tough and scary” as a result of his mental situation.
