Mandurah assault victim rues violent night

He just wants to get on with his life.

However, Mr Palmer struggles every day with the aftermath of one violent night.

It was a night that should have ended happily. It was Glenn’s son’s 22nd birthday and they were celebrating at Mandurah’s pubs downtown.

At worst the night should have ended with a few sore heads thanks to the next day’s hangover.

Instead it ended with Mr Palmer unconscious and beaten.

“I had a fractured eye socket, a broken nose, there’s nerve ending damage in my face, there was bruising to my neck, chest and face,” he said.

“It was a pretty horrific bashing.”

That was in August 2014 and the subsequent court case dragged out for 18 months. Four men were charged and one was found guilty.

Mr Palmer said defence lawyers were not cheap.

“I’m past feeling angry about it, I’m just disappointed,” he said.

“I want everyone to get on with their lives.

“I don’t know why they had to pick on us.”

Mr Palmer asked that people who are out having a few drinks take a deep breath and think before they act.

“Go out, have a good time, but think about the consequences,” he said.

The consequences are very real for people like Mr Palmer.

Not only does he have nerve damage to his face, but the post traumatic stress has left him anxious.

“It leaves you worried about who you might bump into, who is coming at you,” he said.

“I don’t go out to pubs in town; I lost my share in a business, my wife left me last September because she reckons I’ve turned into an a********.

“I’ve put on weight and I don’t look after myself anymore.”

Mr Palmer also worries about the toll the attack might have had on the family of his attacker.

“It must be horrific for them as well,” he said.

“I wish it didn’t happen, for both sides.

“The stress and anguish on the victims and perpetrators, then what the families are going through.

“It ruined my night and it ruined my life.” The court case Calem Milburn-Thomas was found guilty of doing an act with intent to harm on January 18. It was heard in court that Milburn-Thomas hit Mr Palmer twice while he was on the ground and kicked him in the back. He will be sentenced on May 20. Violence in Mandurah Police statistics from January, 2015 to December, 2015: 393 assaults November recorded the highest amount of assaults: 45 October recorded the lowest amount of assaults: 17 On average there were 32 assaults a month in 2015.