Royce Jensen, an Indigenous Australian man, was sentenced to two years in jail for his participation in a large-scale brawl in Manly, Australia. The sentence also included other charges, such as assaulting someone on a Sydney train, arson, and property damage. Approximately 40 individuals were involved in the Manly brawl, during which a knife was found.
Jensen's lawyer argued his involvement was impulsive and opportunistic, claiming he was not initially involved but reacted after being pushed. The prosecution, however, highlighted Jensen's act of spitting on a woman, emphasizing the need for public protection given his criminal history. A charge of rioting was later dropped.
The court considered Jensen's difficult upbringing, including being homeless and involved in drug use and violence from age 15. A 15-year-old boy and 18-year-old Emillio Martinez also faced charges related to the brawl. Martinez will appear in court again on May 7th. The incident was investigated under Strike Force Crookhaven.
Jensen's parole eligibility is set for March 15, 2026. The article also mentions a witness, Stanton, who described being confronted by members of the group outside a restaurant and having spit spat in his face.
“Members of the public have been spat on, and it seems the defendant was one of them who did the spitting,” Donnelly said.
Jensen’s two-year jail term encompassed the Manly offences as well as a string of separate crimes, including assaulting someone on a Sydney train, setting a bin alight in Redfern and hitting a car with a baseball bat.
The court heard he was serving two intensive correction orders and three community correction orders at the time of the Manly incident.
His role at Manly, his Legal Aid lawyer told the court, was “impulsive” and “generally opportunistic”.
“I’m told he was not involved in the original commotion but saw people on the street [and] followed along to see what was happening,” she said.
“A person involved pushed Mr Jensen, and he retaliated by spitting on them.”
Donnelly asked: “So you’re saying he just happened to be in Manly at the time and joined the group?”
The Legal Aid lawyer responded: “Yes, that’s my instructions.”
Police prosecutor Victoria Smith told the court Jensen spat on “a random woman as she was trying to block the entrance of Fratelli Fresh”, adding the public needed protection from him due to his history of committing affray.
The court heard Jensen, an Indigenous man, had a difficult upbringing as he was thrust into a life of drugs and violence after being kicked out of home at the age of 15.
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Donnelly took this disadvantage into account but described Jensen as being “well entrenched in the affray”.
A third charge of rioting was earlier withdrawn.
A 15-year-old boy, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, was also charged over the brawl alongside 18-year-old Emillio Martinez. Martinez pleaded guilty to affray and not guilty to rioting and will next face court on May 7.
They were charged under Strike Force Crookhaven, which was set up to investigate the incident.
Stanton earlier told the Herald he was dining with his wife at a restaurant when he heard a crowd roaring down the street outside.
Stanton described his decision to brace the door as “a natural instinct”.
“Probably a stupid instinct, as my wife told me afterward,” he said.
Members of the group twice spat in Stanton’s face as they tried to menace him into moving out of the way.
Others pushed him and yelled out, ordering him to open the door.
Jensen will be eligible for parole on March 15, 2026.
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