New footage of a wild act of violence in a Darwin gym has been released – footage that led to a gym user being jailed for 19 months.
Shane William Ryan has claimed that his unprovoked act of violence in a Darwin gym was an accident.
CCTV matches have a very different story to tell.
On October 22, 2020, Ryan and another gym were alone at the Next Level Gym in Rosebery, a suburb just outside Darwin.
The other gym user did a bench press – lifting two dumbbells while lying flat on his back on a bench.
In footage shared by the NT Supreme Court, Ryan could be seen lifting a 20kg weight, going to the other gym and dropping the weight directly onto his face.
The victim started bleeding right out of his head, where he was later diagnosed with a skull fracture.
Ryan, who sustained an ankle injury, walked away from the victim before returning with a phone call to call an ambulance.
For months, the 33-year-old has claimed it was an accident. But in the Supreme Court last month, he changed his story.
CCTV footage has only recently been made public.
Ryan was jailed for 19 months for an act that Justice John Burns said was “an extremely dangerous act” on a person “not protecting himself”.
“Around 3:30 a.m. (October 22, 2020), you and the victim will be visiting the Next Level Gym in Rosebery,” Justice Burns said.
At about 3:52 a.m., the victim was lying on his back on a flat bench and was doing a dumbbell weight routine.
“You picked up a 20-pound plate and went to the victim. The CCTV shows that you slip on the victim and the weight falls on the victim’s head and chest area, causing the victim to fall to the ground. the bank bled from his head.
“You sustained an injury to your left ankle before getting up and leaving before returning to the victim and then calling for an ambulance.”
The victim suffered a non-displaced left frontal bone fracture, a cut across his left eyebrow that required five stitches, swelling in his face, headaches and chest pains, the Supreme Court heard.
In his victim impact statement, the victim said he needed further medical treatment, was scared and now needs to take blood pressure medication.
“You and the victims were previously friendly towards each other,” Justice Burns said in sentencing remarks.
“In fact, you and he spoke in a friendly manner on October 22, 2020 before this incident.
“Doubtless, the emotional effect of this incident on the victim has increased
from the fact that your attack on him was without obvious motive and in circumstances where the two of you had previously friendly relations.
“The act of dropping a 20 kilogram weight on the victim’s head was an extremely dangerous act. The victim was vulnerable because he was lying on his back and had weights in his hands. He could not protect himself.
“He also had no reason to believe you would attack him like you did.”
Justice Burns said it was “disturbing” that Ryan had shown a “lack of an obvious motive”.
Ryan was jailed for 19 months. He is not eligible for parole until November 24, 2022, after serving at least 10 months in prison.
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