Man charged over drunken Anzac Day assault on Sydney sailor
UPDATE: A man has been charged over an Anzac Day assault on a Sydney train which left a uniformed sailor bloodied.
Able Seaman Corey Evans, 24, who was in full uniform as he returned from the Anzac Day Memorial Service on Monday afternoon, was allegedly punched and suffered a bloody nose after he asked a group of young men to stop drinking and harassing commuters at Glenfield.
A 27-year-old man has been charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm and common assault, as well as charges of drinking alcohol and offensive behaviour on public transport.
Able Seaman Evans' partner Emma Novotny told Yahoo7 the group of four men and one woman was carrying alcohol and swearing loudly around families, children and war veterans on the trip from Central Station to Glenfield after Anzac services on Monday.
One of the thugs allegedly said Able Seaman Evans' uniform looked 'f****** gay'.
"[I] can't be clear as to what they were saying exactly at some points, however, they were disrespecting the war veterans that were sitting nearby with their constant swearing in front of young children and families, even after people including the war veterans kindly asked them not to," Ms Novotny said.
She said the men insisted they were "drinking to support Anzac Day' and that the day "wasn't important to them so they didn't care".
One witness said they believed one of the men had urinated on themselves.
After several unsuccessful attempts by passengers to call for help, Able Seaman Evans stepped in and asked the men to be quiet.
But as the young couple was preparing to leave the train, the encounter took a violent turn.
"As we were departing the train, the man made a few nasty comments towards my partner," Ms Novotny said.
"As my partner turned around to face him, the man punched him."
Able Seaman Evans was left bleeding from his nose after the blow while his assailant ran away up a flight of stairs.
Ms Novotny said her partner was left shocked and disgusted by the act, as were other witnesses who rushed to his aid.
She said the attack had been a bad end to an important day for veterans and service people.
"I could not imagine what would have been going through their minds," Ms Novotny said.
"It's so disheartening to see the disrespect from some individuals towards people who have fought and continue to fight for our country."
Police say they want to speak to a largely built Caucasian man, about 160cm tall with thinning hair in relation to the attack.
The man was described as wearing green army cargo parts and a long sleeve black jumper at the time.
Police have asked any witnesses, or anyone who has information that may help their investigations, to contact Macquarie Fields Police Station on (02) 9605 0499.
