CONFRONTING footage of the moment a mob turns on two bystanders in Pall Mall, kicking them repeatedly while they are defenceless on the ground, has been released by the Bendigo Magistrates Court.
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Five men charged over the attack, which took place during the early hours of the morning on April 4, 2021, avoided convictions earlier this week.
The CCTV was released by the court upon request by the Bendigo Advertiser.
It shows the moment two men arrive on foot outside the Grill'd burger restaurant and are pursued and set upon.
A martial arts fly-kick throws one of the victims through the air to land on the pavement where he is seen clutching is head before others circle and begin to kick and punch him.
The Magistrates Court was told that three of the attackers had never been identified or changed over the assault.
Five men pleaded guilty to their roles in the attack, including to charges of affray, assault by kicking, violent disorder in a group and intentionally causing injury.
A search of one of the offender's houses also led to the discovery knuckle dusters and he pleaded guilty to possessing a prohibited weapon.
Magistrate Trieu Huynh said the men ranged in age from 18 to 23 years at the time of the offending and one was still doing year 12 at high school.
He sentenced the group on Tuesday to community corrections orders and unpaid community work, without convictions recorded.
"You have come before the court with no prior (criminal) history or any pending (court) matters," Magistrate Huynh said.
"You all come from supportive families and the support of your community. You all have very good prospects of rehabilitation."
The court was told the five youths were former refugees whose families had been persecuted in Burma and had fled to Thailand before resettling in Australia.
They had been located in other parts of the nation before moving to Bendigo to join the region's growing Karen community.
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