IT WAS an attack that lasted just six seconds, and left aspiring law student Joshua Hardy dead and a family devastated.
In the early hours of October 18, 2014, Kyle Zandipour flung 21-year-old Joshua to the ground outside of a St Kilda McDonald’s, and repeatedly kicked him in the head. Mr Hardy died in hospital just one hour after being attacked.
Darwin man Joshua Hardy was killed in a brutal unprovoked street bashing outside a fast food restaurant in Melbourne in 2014. His killer, Kyle Zandipour was out behind bars for 16 years.Source:Supplied
Queensland father Paul Stanley understands better than anyone the heartbreak caused by a violent “moment of madness”.
In 2006, Mr Stanley had to switch off the life support of his 15-year-old son Matthew after he was bashed outside a teenager’s party in Alexandra Hills, east of Brisbane.
It’s a pain that no one can explain, and anyone who hasn’t been in his position will ever understand.
“You never feel closure, the only people who talk about closure are people who haven’t ever gone through something like this,” he told news.com.au.
“I can go to Matthew’s grave and put flowers there and talk to him, but it doesn’t make me feel any better and it doesn’t bring him back.”
When will the one punch attacks stop in our streets? Picture: Darren England.Source:News Limited
In April this year, his campaigning was acknowledged. Queensland education minister Kate Jones announced a One Punch Can Kill initiative that will allow Mr Stanley to tell the story of his tragic loss to Year 12 students in every state high school across Queensland.
His son Matthew received just a single punch to the head when he fell to the ground. Smashing his skull on the concrete, his attacker kicked him in the abdomen and another man poured beer over him.
“He punched Matthew. The boys said the way Matthew crumpled, he was probably unconscious before he hit the ground,” Mr Stanley told The Australian.
“His head hit the concrete and this guy then started to kick Matty in the body and the head. He then knee-dropped his 105 kilos onto Matty’s chest.
“He backhanded Matthew a couple of times, then he got up and kicked Matthew one more time in the head. He then poured beer over Matthew and called him a coward for not getting up and fighting.
“He then went away to another party, where he was arrested.”
Kyle Zandipour leaves the Supreme Court in Melbourne. Picture: AAP Image/Julian Smith.Source:AAP
The then 16-year-old teenager behind his son’s brutal killing received two and a half years behind bars for manslaughter.
“There’s no such word as justice with this, none whatsoever,” he said.
Speaking of Mr Hardy’s tragic death, and the 16-year sentence his killer Zandipour received on Tuesday at the Melbourne Supreme Court - Mr Stanley said “it’s just not enough”.
“I want to see these people off the streets and away from us,” he said
“I want them away so we don’t need be worried about being attacked, which is why they should be put away for longer.
Zandipour will be out of prison well and truly before his 50th birthday. Justice Karin Emerton described his attack on Joshua as a senseless unprovoked attack.
“I doubt you properly understand why you attacked Mr Hardy in the way you did. Your conduct was utterly senseless,” she told Zandipour.
“Your actions involved a moment of madness, six seconds of madness to be precise.”
Paul Stanley, father of Matthew Stanley, who was fatally punched aged 15 in 2006, now works for the Matthew Stanley Foundation, regularly speaks to school students about the death of his son.Source:News Limited
Mr Stanley said the pain and heartbreak felt by a family who lose a loved one to a single punch or drunken violence is never ending.
“I just feel so sorry for his [Joshua Hardy’s] family,” Mr Stanley said.
“Sixteen years’ jail is no justice. The person whose life was taken never comes back.”
Spending the last 10 years talking to hundreds of schools, detention centres and police stations about how a single punch can kill a person and a family at the same time, Mr Stanley believes there is a change forming in the “young ones” who have heard his story.
Matthew Stanley, who was killed in a one punch attack in 2006. Picture: suppliedSource:News Corp Australia
“I could have dug a hole and jumped into it and put the dirt over my head and Matthew would have just been that kid who got bashed to death at a party and nobody would have got any good out of it,” he told The Australian.
“But education is the answer to it all.
“If we can get more dollars towards people who can talk to the young kids about personal experiences, the better,” he added.
“The personal story of Matthew helps, because nobody takes in the paper. They read it and then wrap fish n chips in it.
“Kids who hear me talk about what happened to Matthew think and talk about it again. It means Matt’s life hasn’t been wasted.”
Paul Stanley started the Matthew Stanley Foundation to end youth violence. He talks to schools and different groups about lobbying change, and what impact a single punch can have on a person and their family.
“I’ll rattle anyone’s chain, because I don’t want to see anyone else’s kid lying in a pool of blood,” he said.
Resource: news.com.au
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