Judge tells ‘privileged’ ex-private schoolboy rugby player to ‘stop snivelling’ when he breaks down in court after brutally bashing and racially abusing a taxi driver
- Aspiring rugby star and team captain escapes jail over bashing of taxi driver
- Samuel Ronald Lambourne, 23, received stern words from magistrate in court
- CCTV from the December 15 incident in Brisbane was played in court this week
- Remorseful Lambourne placed on probation and community service order
A promising rugby star from a ‘privileged’ background has sobbed in court before escaping conviction over the ‘disgusting and despicable’ attack of a taxi driver.
A remorseful Samuel Ronald Lambourne, 23, appeared in Wynnum Magistrates Court on Monday over the vicious bashing in the early hours of December 15.
The court heard Lambourne and his girlfriend were paying for the fare in the Brisbane suburb of Wynnum when his credit card dropped under the seat.
Samuel Ronald Lambourne (pictured in a 2019 rugby team photo) has narrowly avoided jail time over the brutal bashing of a Brisbane taxi driver in December
Thinking his card had been stolen, the Wynnum District Rugby Union Club reserve grade captain unleashed a flurry of blows on the driver in a shocking attack captured on CCTV, which was played in court.
The injured driver fled his vehicle but was followed by Lambourne, who knocked off his turban before screaming racial and homophobic slurs, Quest Newspapers reported.
Lambourne repeatedly sobbed in court and was ordered by Magistrate Zac Sarra to ‘stop snivelling’.
The driver suffered cuts and bruises in the attack on Wynnum North Road (pictured)
The court heard Lambourne had a ‘privileged’ background after being educated at a private school where he was a prefect and regarded as an all-round gifted athlete, the publication reported.
Magistrate Sarra said he considered jail time for the ‘disgusting and despicable’ attack.
Instead, he placed Lambourne on 18 months’ probation and ordered him to perform 60 hours of community service.
A relieved Lambourne also avoided conviction after telling the court the bashing was ‘not the person I am’.
Samuel Ronald Lambourne appeared in Wynnum Magistrates Court (pictured) on Monday