Mongols biker gang member Tommy Mulhall sentenced for ‘particularly vicious’ prison attack at Correctional Center.
A patched member of the Mongols outlaw motorcycle gang has had at least 18 months added to his prison sentence, after unleashing a “particularly vicious” attack on a fellow prisoner.
Key points:
Tommy Kerin Mulhall was in prison for a separate aggravated assault when he attacked a fellow prisoner.
The “unprovoked” assault was captured on CCTV and played to the court.
Mulhall is a patched member of the Mongols outlaw motorcycle gang.
Tommy Kerin Mulhall, 42, was in jail for various drugs and weapons offences, as well as serving a restored suspended sentence for a previous aggravated assault, when he attacked fellow prisoner Chase Atkinson in September 2022.
The Northern Territory Supreme Court was shown CCTV of the attack in the administrative area of the Darwin Correctional Centre, which showed Mulhall carrying out a “premeditated attack” on Atkinson, knocking him unconscious before punching and kicking him at least 10 times as he lay on the ground.
According to the agreed facts of the case, “[Mulhall] struck the victim to the right-hand side of his face seven times with force in quick succession” before he stood up and “stomped on the back of the victims head with force”.
Tommy Mulhall was sentenced in the NT Supreme Court in Darwin. (ABC News: Che Chorley)
“Your attack was premeditated; indeed, your lawyer said it was a pre-emptive strike … it was also unprovoked,” Justice John Reeves said in sentencing.
“Because he was unconscious from the outset, [Atkinson] was unable to defend himself. Your attack was prolonged and particularly vicious.”
The court heard Mulhall’s “pre-emptive strike” came after Atkinson had allegedly made threats of violence, but Justice Reeves said there was no evidence of an actual attack on Mulhall.
‘No evidence’ of genuine remorse
Atkinson was taken to hospital after the attack, suffering a fractured nose, lacerations, and contusions to the face, as well as a mild concussion.
He refused to provide police with a statement about the incident “out of fear of retribution” from Mulhall and his associates.
The court heard Mulhall had a history of violent offending and 28 prior convictions for offences such as aggravated assault as well as numerous weapons, drugs and property damage charges.
NT Police say it has ‘destroyed’ Mongol leadership.
Police say Operation Morley has resulted in the arrests of 40 Mongols bikie gang members.
Apart from his guilty plea, Justice Reeves said there was “no evidence” of Mulhall being “genuinely remorseful” for the prison attack.
“You have previously been in trouble in relation to offences similar … and that indicates you’ve not learnt from punishments given to you in the past,” Justice Reeves said.
Mulhall pleaded guilty to one charge of recklessly endangering serious harm and was sentenced to three years in prison, with a non-parole period of 18 months.