A Melbourne man has pleaded guilty to a 2022 Southbank coward punch attack that left a man in his 20s severely disabled and confined to a nursing home.
Suliman Suliman pleaded guilty to affray, recklessly causing serious injury and two counts of assault in the County Court of Victoria today as his victim, Kevin Vidovic’s loved ones watched from overseas.
The 27-year-old victim lives in a nursing home in Croatia in a vegetative state, where his brother Ivan visits him daily.
Ivan said his brother was active and hardworking and enjoyed camping, fishing and fitness before his future was stolen by the coward’s punch.
Now he needs the assistance of a tube to eat and will likely stay in a vegetative state for the rest of his life.
”It’s a horrible life to live for someone that young,” Ivan said.
“It’s the struggle everyday, sitting in a wheelchair for 15 minutes is like running a marathon for him.”
Kevin had been out with friends in Southbank on October 30 2022, when he stepped in as a verbal argument turned into a fight.
He was knocked unconscious after Suliman punched him in the back of the head and then the face.
Kevin’s friends, who were also injured that night, cried as a video of him was shown in court today, exposing the extent of his injuries.
CCTV and phone vision showing him slam into the pavement was also played to the court.
Suliman’s lawyer Dermot Dann said he had a violent upbringing in Sudan and had been drinking and using cocaine that night.
“No sentence will be able to help,” Ivan said.
“That’s the issue… No matter what happens with the accused, Kevin will still be in this position for the rest of his life.”
Suliman is expected to be sentenced in the coming weeks.
