THE close-knit family of Tony David Brown has expressed outrage and sorrow at the ‘‘brutal killing’’ of their beloved son, brother and father for the first time in front of the two men who, less than two hours earlier, were found guilty by jury of having committed serious acts of violence against Mr Brown in the lead-up to his death. ‘‘If Jay David Blazely and Mitchell Clay Dowling had kept their hands and feet to themselves our son Tony Brown would be alive today,’’ mother Sandra Brown told the Supreme Court on Tuesday. Neither man was accused at trial of having caused the death of Mr Brown. The Exeter-raised man, 28, died from injuries suffered during a brawl at the Mowbray Hotel on July 17, 2013. The Launceston jury had taken about six hours to deliberate and returned five unanimous guilty verdicts out of 10 verdicts on their second day of deliberations on Tuesday. All other verdicts were not guilty. Mrs Brown, the first of three family members who read their victim impact statements during sentencing submissions, said her family would never forgive the two men. She remembered her son as a loving, caring family man who idolised his two young boys and whose smile would light up a room. He was looking forward to starting his own painting business, she said. Mrs Brown said her son was a passionate Richmond supporter so his coffin was painted in the club’s colours for his funeral, which celebrated his life and included a final ‘‘Gangnam Style’’ dance. She said her son, an organ donor, gave the gift of life with his death. Father David Brown said the "no remorse" attitude of the two men disgusted him and they had left his family with "a death sentence". "Tony was a peacemaker," younger sister Nicola Brown said. "He would rather talk it out than fight, but no one gave him a chance." Jurors found Blazely, 40, guilty of assaulting Mr Brown, committing an unlawful act with intent to do grievous bodily harm to Mr Brown and assaulting Grant Thomas. They found Dowling, 44, guilty of assaulting Derryn Thomas and committing an unlawful act with intent to do grievous bodily harm to Mr Brown. Crown prosecutor John Ransom said according to the preliminary proceedings evidence of state forensic pathologist Donald Ritchey, Mr Brown died from an injury to an artery at the back of his head. Mr Ransom said Dr Ritchey thought that either the blow struck by Blazely first, the blow struck by Dowling second, or a combination of the two punches might have caused the death of Mr Brown. In terms of history, he said Dowling had a criminal record in two states, had been jailed several times in Queensland and even had a suspended sentence that expired shortly before this incident. Dowling's defence counsel Greg Richardson, in his plea in mitigation, said his client had become an active member of a local Presbyterian church since this incident and his minister, to whom he had expressed remorse, was supporting him in court. Blazely's defence counsel Alan Hensley said his client, a stay-at-home father, "suffered considerable remorse". Justice Robert Pearce remanded both men in custody and adjourned sentencing to July 16 at 2.15pm.
Jay David Blazely and Mitchell Clay Dowling outside the Launceston Magistrates Court during a previous appearance.
THE close-knit family of Tony David Brown has expressed outrage and sorrow at the ‘‘brutal killing’’ of their beloved son, brother and father for the first time in front of the two men who, less than two hours earlier, were found guilty by jury of having committed serious acts of violence against Mr Brown in the lead-up to his death.
‘‘If Jay David Blazely and Mitchell Clay Dowling had kept their hands and feet to themselves our son Tony Brown would be alive today,’’ mother Sandra Brown told the Supreme Court on Tuesday.
Neither man was accused at trial of having caused the death of Mr Brown.
The Exeter-raised man, 28, died from injuries suffered during a brawl at the Mowbray Hotel on July 17, 2013.
The Launceston jury had taken about six hours to deliberate and returned five unanimous guilty verdicts out of 10 verdicts on their second day of deliberations on Tuesday.
All other verdicts were not guilty.
Mrs Brown, the first of three family members who read their victim impact statements during sentencing submissions, said her family would never forgive the two men.
She remembered her son as a loving, caring family man who idolised his two young boys and whose smile would light up a room. He was looking forward to starting his own painting business, she said.
Mrs Brown said her son was a passionate Richmond supporter so his coffin was painted in the club’s colours for his funeral, which celebrated his life and included a final ‘‘Gangnam Style’’ dance.
She said her son, an organ donor, gave the gift of life with his death.
Father David Brown said the "no remorse" attitude of the two men disgusted him and they had left his family with "a death sentence".
"Tony was a peacemaker," younger sister Nicola Brown said.
"He would rather talk it out than fight, but no one gave him a chance."
Jurors found Blazely, 40, guilty of assaulting Mr Brown, committing an unlawful act with intent to do grievous bodily harm to Mr Brown and assaulting Grant Thomas.
They found Dowling, 44, guilty of assaulting Derryn Thomas and committing an unlawful act with intent to do grievous bodily harm to Mr Brown.
Crown prosecutor John Ransom said according to the preliminary proceedings evidence of state forensic pathologist Donald Ritchey, Mr Brown died from an injury to an artery at the back of his head.
Mr Ransom said Dr Ritchey thought that either the blow struck by Blazely first, the blow struck by Dowling second, or a combination of the two punches might have caused the death of Mr Brown.
In terms of history, he said Dowling had a criminal record in two states, had been jailed several times in Queensland and even had a suspended sentence that expired shortly before this incident.
Dowling's defence counsel Greg Richardson, in his plea in mitigation, said his client had become an active member of a local Presbyterian church since this incident and his minister, to whom he had expressed remorse, was supporting him in court.
Blazely's defence counsel Alan Hensley said his client, a stay-at-home father, "suffered considerable remorse".
Justice Robert Pearce remanded both men in custody and adjourned sentencing to July 16 at 2.15pm.
