Bondi bashing victim wants to move on
The father of Bondi bashing victim Michael McEwen says his son just wants to put the attack behind him.
The 24-year-old was brutally bashed and stomped on in the beachside Sydney suburb in the early hours of December 14 last year.
Mr McEwen spent eight days in a medically induced coma and had to have part of his skull removed after he fell and hit his head in the attack.
David Hona, 21, pleaded guilty to recklessly causing grievous bodily harm for his role in the bashing.
He appeared in the Downing Centre District Court on Thursday to apologise to Mr McEwen and his family.
"I'm extremely sorry for my actions and I'm sorry to his family," Hona told the court.
"And I'm sorry to the public for my behaviour.
"I hope you can forgive me."
Mr McEwen was not in court to hear Hona's apology, but his family came out in a show of support.
The victim's father said he wanted to "move on".
"Something like this really brings you closer together and you find out how much people mean to you," Rob McEwen said outside court.
"(Michael) doesn't want to be known as a victim.
"He wants to get himself together and so he's taking a bit of time out."
The court heard Hona had a history of drunken offences.
He told the court he consumed cannabis, five beers and spirits before attacking Mr McEwen.
"(There is) a significant connection between my alcohol abuse and my offending," Hona said.
"It's not a nice place, prison.
"I don't want to come back."
Defence barrister James Trevallion said Mr McEwen's injuries, which may leave him with a permanent disability, could have been worse.
Hona will be sentenced on October 10.
