Dramatic CCTV footage of the moment Albury teenager Will Young was attacked in Dean Street has been shown in court.
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The video, played on Monday during the sentencing of a second man charged over the assault, lasted just 30 seconds.
But it showed how quickly Mr Young's night ended in hospital after he turned around to respond to comments made to him in the early hours of July 7.
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He could be seen coming around a street corner past the group that included Bailey Robert Burke and his co-accused, Jesse David Donnelly.
Donnelly faced a single charge of assault for kicking Mr Young, 19, to the back after he was felled by punches by Burke, 22. For that, he was convicted and fined $800 on Monday.
The footage showed Mr Young - walking unsteadily, holding his right hand to his temple area - get a few metres past Donnelly's group.
He then suddenly stops and turns around, quickly making his way back to the group. Within seconds Burke unleashed one punch then, moments later, another.
Each blow was delivered with force from a round-arm swing.
The next critical part of the video shows Mr Young on the ground.
Donnelly, 21, approaches him and kicks, though it was clear minimal force was used, little more than a toe poke.
Nevertheless, Albury Local Court magistrate Rodney Brender told the apprentice electrician that this did not negate the seriousness of his assault, especially given that the victim was possibly unconscious at the time and had been kicked in the back.
"That's completely unacceptable to the community," Mr Brender said.
Defence lawyer Angus Lingham said Donnelly was walking behind Burke, also an apprentice electrician, "and had no involvement in the initial incident".
"I will be submitting there is absolutely no malice," he said.
"It was clearly not planned, it was not pre-meditated.
"Based on the footage I would submit it would be difficult to find a kick with less force.
"It was essentially a push with his foot."
Mr Lingham said Donnelly "deeply regrets" the assault.
Prosecutor Sergeant Andrew Coombs said the assault was aggravated by the victim being in a "vulnerable position" at the time.
The sentence, he said, needed to play a role in efforts to "tackle alcohol-related violence".
Mr Young was left with a permanent brain injury as a result of the punches thrown by Burke, who a week ago was fined $3000 and placed on a community corrections order after pleading guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm.
It was accepted by the court that Burke had been provoked by Mr Young's aggressive behaviour.
The victim suffered a lacerated and bleeding lip and an intracerebral bleed to the brain.