In August 2024, 22-year-old Sudanese-born Ariek Lual and five others assaulted two Australian Defence Force members outside a Toowoomba kebab shop.
One soldier suffered a broken jaw and missed work for six weeks; the other had a severe concussion with a week of amnesia.
Judge Benedict Power sentenced Lual to two years’ probation, 200 hours of community service, and $1,000 compensation per victim, accepting character references that called the attack out of character for the aspiring disability support worker from a respected family.
The court heard he has “potential to be a leader” in his community, and aspires to be an NDIS support worker.
A gang of Sudanese thugs bashed two off-duty Australian soldiers outside a Toowoomba kebab shop — broken jaw, severe concussion — and the ringleader received only 2 years’ probation. He was not jailed for attacking our troops, received no conviction, just 200 hours of community service and a pathetic $2k in compensation. Not deported. Still here on a temporary visa. If we can’t even protect our own soldiers from this imported garbage on our streets, why the hell should they risk their lives protecting us?
The no-conviction outcome, which spares his visa status for now, drew sharp online criticism questioning protections for soldiers.
