'Where is the justice?': Families devastated by court outcome
The mothers of four young men left with horrific injuries after a random and brutal bashing in Merewether are united in grief and anxiety after seeing their sons' attacker spared time behind bars.
The group of seven friends, all in their 20s, were walking home along Hickson Street just after midnight on August 11, 2024, following a dinner and swim at the ocean baths. Their lives were irrevocably changed in less than two minutes when Jesse Reid, then 20, and two co-offenders launched an unprovoked attack.
Lifelong physical and mental scars
The violent assault left the victims with a catalogue of severe injuries. Between them, they suffered missing teeth, emergency surgeries, broken bones, and ongoing orthodontic treatments. One young man was knocked unconscious for several minutes.
One mother described her son's specific injuries: a jaw broken in two places, two teeth removed, and eight screws installed during surgery.
The mothers recounted the horror of receiving calls in the dead of night and rushing to the John Hunter Hospital emergency department. "It was wildly confronting ... the absolute carnage when we got there was horrendous," said mother Amanda Veale.
Judicial process leaves families questioning system
During sentencing in Newcastle Local Court in July, magistrate Robert Stone found that Reid, who had boxing training, would have known "exactly what he was doing" and was looking for a fight. He sentenced Reid to at least 14 months in jail after he pleaded guilty to two counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm in company and affray.
However, Reid immediately lodged an appeal, was granted bail that same day, and walked from Newcastle District Court on November 5 after Judge Peter Krisenthal resentenced him to a one-year community-based jail term.
The court heard arguments about Reid's youth, lack of criminal history, remorse, excellent rehabilitation prospects, and mental health issues being addressed.
"I don't believe there has been any justice for our families," one mother told the Newcastle Herald. "Our boys have lifelong injuries, both physically and mentally."
Another mother expressed that while she understood mental health was a significant societal issue, the punishment did not fit the crime. "The physical, mental and financial load that this has had on all of us, the victims, their family, friends and the community is unnecessary and cruel," she said.
The mothers have chosen to speak out publicly, hoping to prevent other families from enduring similar trauma, and have thanked prosecutors and emergency services for their efforts.
