
The night the woman pictured above first encountered Nicholas Drummond at a Sydney pub, he called her a "sl**". He told her to "put [her] tits away" and to "f**k off". Hours later, he punched her in the face, knocking her to the ground.
But despite pleading guilty to assault, Nicholas Drummond won't be serving time in prison. His convictions relating to that December 2020 evening were last week erased by a NSW District Court.
Watch: How 'Missing White Woman Syndrome' Has Real Life Implications. Post continues after video.
See, Drummond, a graduate of Sydney's elite Knox Grammar, assured the court that he was "brought up better", that he "knew better" than his behaviour suggested. "I know violence isn't the answer, especially not towards women," he said.
Drummond's mother assured the court that the 20-year-old was remorseful after his drunken acts of violence. "He was a shattered boy," she said.
And Drummond's barrister assured the court that Drummond had endured a "very difficult" 2020 marked by the death of the family dog, the illness of a relative and a relationship breakdown. "It's appropriate he be given one opportunity ... an exceptional one, admittedly," the barrister said.
Drummond got that one exceptional opportunity.
"Loose tongue and loose thoughts."
The incidents considered by the court occurred at the Greengate Hotel in Killara, a leafy suburb in Sydney's upper north shore.
After Drummond lobbed verbal insults at the woman regarding her outfit, she approached him and asked for an apology. The soccer coach and state-league player told her to "f**k off".
The pair coincidentally encountered each other later that night at the Orchard Hotel in nearby Chatswood, where she approached and photographed Drummond, sparking a melee over her phone.
Staff ejected Drummond, who then took his frustration out on a man who was queued to enter the bar, punching the stranger in the back of the head.
When approached again by the young woman as he walked to the nearby train station, Drummond punched her in the face, knocking her to the ground and causing multiple injuries.
He also stomped on her phone, destroying it.
Listen to the latest episode of The Quicky, Mamamia's daily news podcast. Post continues after podcast.
The judge noted the incidents were sparked by Drummond's "loose tongue and loose thoughts" on a background of excessive alcohol use.
"[Drummond made] a lewd and completely inappropriate remark towards someone he didn't know but whose dress might have been perceived by a former student of Knox to be provocative," Judge Richard Sutherland said.
Top Comments