Grant Christopher Matsias: Jail for brutal attack at Cobblers Tavern in Falcon that left dad fighting for life

A FIFO worker who brutally attacked a father at a pub south of Perth, leaving him fighting for life, has been jailed for two years and four months. Grant Christopher Matsias and the victim, Anthony Bray, had friends in common and had met at Cobblers Tavern in Falcon the week before the horror assault in January last year. After the pair had a verbal altercation, Matsias walked off but came back about five minutes later and punched Mr Bray in the head, without warning. He fell and hit his head on the ground, knocking him unconscious. “The second punch you threw missed him only because he’d fallen to the ground,” District Court of WA Judge Laura Christian said in sentencing Matsias this week. “While the victim lay defenceless on the ground, you kicked at him. “Now, having viewed the CCTV footage, I cannot be satisfied beyond reasonable doubt that your kick did connect with his head. “You were being held back by someone who’d been sitting at the table.” Mr Bray, 49, suffered a fractured skull and brain bleeds. Judge Christian said the impact of the attack was enormous. “He spent months in the hospital and had nine months off work,” she said. “His physical recovery is still not complete. He also suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder as a result of your offending.” Matsias, 38, was initially charged with assault occasioning bodily harm and granted bail. But the charge was upgraded to grievous bodily harm and he was remanded in custody in February this year after pleading guilty and having his case committed to the District Court for trial. Matsias was intoxicated at the time, which did not excuse his violence, the judge said. During a bail application, Matsias told the court that Mr Bray had grabbed his shoulder before he swung the first punch. “I was probably drinking a little bit too much,” he said from the dock. “There was an altercation beforehand and it was taken out of context. “It was a huge mistake on my part.” He said he was not sure what the incident was about. Judge Christian noted Matsias had undertaken counselling to help him identify the causes of his alcohol abuse. “The incident was unprovoked. . . and you were acting out of anger,” she said. “It is very fortunate the victim’s injury was not more severe than it was. People die from head injuries inflicted by one punch.” Matsias must serve at least one year and two months before he will be eligible for parole. The judge also imposed a lifetime restraining order prohibiting him from having any contact with Mr Bray other than through a lawyer.