The man coward punched by a former Knox Grammar student who then violently hit a woman in the face says there was ‘no justice’ in the court’s decision to let him walk away without conviction.
New details have emerged about Nick Drummond’s night of violence that saw him attack two random people.
The 20-year-old punched a young man in the back of the head at The Greengate Hotel in Killara in December last year after being kicked out of the popular North Shore pub.
The junior soccer coach and state-league player also called his female victim a ‘slut’ and told her to put her ‘t*ts away’, before telling her to ‘f*** off’ when she asked for an apology.
She later approached and photographed Drummond at Chatswood’s Orchard Hotel, sparking a row over her phone.
Drummond then punched her in the face after she approached him again, knocking the 155cm woman to the ground and causing multiple injuries.
Both have spoken to Daily Mail Australia anonymously about the incident, with the male victim revealing he only realised what had happened when authorities showed him CCTV footage of the assault.
The face of ex-private school thug Nick Drummond (pictured) can now be revealed after he got away with coward punching a man before slut-shaming and hitting a woman in the face
The outfit a judge described as ‘provocative’ before allowing Drummond to walk without conviction despite punching the woman in the face
‘I had to go to the police station and watch it. He absolutely smashed me,’ the young man said.
‘Then later he punched the girl and ran away. That was terrible.’
The young man, who like the woman said he’d never met Drummond, said he wasn’t even aware of the ex-Knox student until he was told to leave the Greengate.
‘I was standing in line for the bar, he was getting kicked out,’ he said.
The male victim said he had no idea what Drummond looked like until police showed him footage, saying he coincidentally was at the Orchard later that night but never crossed paths with his assaulter.
‘He was angry about it and he just punched me in the back of the head. He walked away before I could even get a look at him.’
The man, who has spoken to the female victim since a judge decided not to record any convictions for the ex-Knox thug, says there was ‘no justice’ given in the decision.
‘A judge decided it was more important to let him go than punish him. It’s a huge injustice,’ he told Daily Mail Australia.
‘What does it teach people? That you can commit a crime, be found guilty but it be wiped away?
‘It’s not justice.’
The male victim said he had no idea what Drummond looked like until police showed him CCTV, saying he coincidentally was at the Orchard (pictured) later that night but never crossed paths
Nick Drummond, 20, (pictured) told his victim to ‘put her t*** away’ before later smashing her in the face having previously coward punching a random stranger in the back of the head outside a bar
The female victim said she was disheartened the judge referenced her outfit when handing down his ruling to not record convictions for the assaults.
The judge said the incidents were sparked by Drummond’s ‘loose tongue and loose thoughts’ and excessive alcohol use.
Judge Richard Sutherland added: ‘[He made] a lewd and completely inappropriate remark towards someone he didn’t know but whose dress might have been perceived by a former student of Knox to be provocative.’
The woman, who was slut-shamed and punched by Drummond on the stairs leading out of the Orchard, said the judge’s comments were damaging for young women.
‘I didn’t consider a long sleeve top and shorts provocative,’ she told Daily Mail Australia.
‘I went to a private school myself and none of my friends seem to be so offended by what I was wearing.
‘It’s a shame. I thought we were definitely progressing in society and women were being heard but clearly not.’
Speaking to Daily Mail Australia under the condition of anonymity, the woman said she was devastated at the judge’s ruling – particularly the attention drawn to her outfit.
‘I’m extremely disappointed with the judge’s comment as I feel that what I was wearing shouldn’t have even been commented on,’ she said.
‘It made me feel as if his actions were almost justified.’
The young woman said had spoken to the other victim of Drummond’s unprovoked attacks at the Greengate Hotel (pictured) and both were ‘really frustrated’ with the court’s decision
The future of promising footballer future Nick Drummond (pictured) is hanging in the balance over his ‘appalling’ behaviour
The verdict and comments have sparked outrage, coming after the budding star and children’s soccer coach insisted his role as a mentor to kids would be put in doubt if he was convicted of the attacks.
And on Wednesday, Drummond, from Wahroonga, was back training children at a football field in Roseville on Sydney’s wealthy North Shore.
But his club Northern Tigers, where he has been one of the star players both in their U20s and senior NPL2 team, has now promised to finally take action, two months after Drummond was initially convicted.
‘Our club are currently reviewing this incident,’ admitted Turramurra-based Northern Tigers CEO, Edward Ferguson.
‘We will be taking appropriate action. At this time I cannot comment, however I will do so in seven days time once we have had time to review all details.’
The club also has a women’s team and Australia’s Women in Football group condemned Drummond for his thuggery.
‘Both Football NSW and his club need to sanction him now,’ said a spokesman.
‘The behaviour is appalling, exacerbated by the comments of a judge who clearly belongs in another century.
‘Football should not tolerate it – and demonstrate that it will not be tolerated – amongst its players or junior coaches.’
Drummond first emerged as a football talent while at elite Knox Grammar which charges some pupils up to $65,000 a year before joining Northern Tigers.
Daily Mail Australia has contacted Football NSW and Knox Grammar for comment.
A campaigner who revealed a culture of sexual abuse at some of Sydney’s top private schools shared an image of what the woman was wearing the night Drummond punched her.
Former Kambala student Chanel Costos, 22, started a petition in February calling for ‘sexual consent education’ at boys schools after hearing the testimonies of hundreds of young female victims.
Knox Grammar (pictured) graduate Nicholas Drummond has had his convictions erased after he allegedly punched a man and a woman in December last year
Former Kambala student Chanel Costos, 22, (pictured) started a petition in February calling for ‘sexual consent education’ at boys schools
Ms Costos has since become the face of sexual education reform in Sydney, driving change in curriculums for both boys and girls schools.
She posted the image to her Instagram page on Tuesday night, slamming the court’s decision and the disgraceful behaviour of the former Knox student at the Greengate Hotel in Killara.
‘This is who Nicholas Drummond punched in the face and knocked to the ground,’ she posted to social media.
‘This is what she was wearing the night when the judge concluded that Nicholas made a ‘lewd and inapporopriate remark towards someone he didn’t know but whose dress might have been perceived by a former student of Knox to be provocative’.
‘Nicholas Drummond pleaded guilty yet still [no] consequences were had.’
Ms Costos told Daily Mail Australia the ruling ‘couldn’t exemplify more how little accountability is held in our society when privileged men perpetrate violence’ and called for reform in both the schooling and legal systems.
‘He pleaded guilty and there is still no accountability. When that is the case how can we possibly have trust in our criminal system to provide justice to victims of men’s violence?’ she said.
‘Traditional solutions aren’t doing a good enough job at holding boys and men accountable for their actions, which is why violence in our country is rife.’
The young woman said she spoke to the other victim of Drummond’s unprovoked attacks at the Greengate and both were ‘really frustrated’ with the court’s decision.
‘It doesn’t seem very just at all,’ she said.
Ms Costos edited the AAP’s story about Mr Drummond, saying Sydney’s elite private schools ‘foster slut shaming’ and slammed the judge’s description of the events
The other victim of Drummond’s violence was a young man who revealed on Facebook he was ‘punched in the back of the head’ moments before he attacked the woman.
Ms Costos said she believes Drummond’s status helped him secure a favourable outcome and said the court’s decision would harm young women coming out in the future.
‘Entitlement and privilege causes this and results in no accountability,’ she told Daily Mail Australia.
‘[The woman] has been brave in going through the court process on behalf of everyone around NSW who are victims to men’s violence. Speaking up about it points out the injustice and reminds everyone why we are angry.
Ms Costos is leading the Teach Us Consent campaign to introduce ‘holistic and earlier sexual education is made mandatory across Australia’ within five years.
‘In February 2021, I posted an Instagram story asking my followers if they or someone close to them had been sexually assaulted by someone who went to a single-sex school in Sydney,’ she said.
‘Within 24 hours, 200 people replied ‘yes’. Since then, over 6,600 people have detailed their stories of sexual assault on teachusconsent.com, and over 43,000 Australians have signed the petition for consent to be included in Australian schools’ sex education earlier.’
Ms Costos (pictured) has since become the face of sexual education reform in Sydney, driving change in curriculums for both boys and girls schools. She shared a picture of what the young woman was wearing the night she was assaulted
Ms Costos also questioned the reasoning behind a conviction not being recorded, after the court heard he had a ‘difficult year’.
The court’s decision also frustrated and saddened a friend of the woman, who said Drummond was being taught there are ‘no real repercussions’.
‘Everyone complains about violence against women but here, he’s given another opportunity and told ‘you’ve had a rough year’,’ the friend, who declined to be named, said.
‘What about her year?’
Drummond pleaded guilty to two counts of assault and destroying property after his destructive, drunken night out on Sydney’s North Shore in December 2020.
He hit the young man while he was queuing at the Greengate earlier in the night, before leaving and heading to another establishment.
Drummond and the woman coincidentally encountered each other later in the night at Chatswood’s Orchard Hotel, where she approached and photographed Drummond, sparking a melee over her phone.
When approached again by the young woman as he walked to the nearby train station, Drummond punched her in the face, knocking the 155cm woman to the ground and causing multiple injuries.
He also stomped on her phone, destroying it.
The District Court was told the offender was overcome by regret soon after, threatening to kill himself and returning home ‘hysterical’ and sorrowful.
‘He was a shattered boy,’ his mother said.
In NSW District Court (pictured) the judge deemed it ‘unnecessary’ for any convictions to be recorded
Barrister Phillip Boulten SC said the case was ‘a bit unusual’ because the 20-year-old had ‘gone off the rails’ following a difficult 2020 in which his dog died, a relationship broke down and a family member fell ill.
He also sought out psychological help for emotional issues before the incident, the court was told.
‘It’s appropriate he be given one opportunity … an exceptional one, admittedly,’ Mr Boulten said.
Drummond raised concern the convictions would impact his Working with Children’s Check, which was ‘pivotal’ to his coaching.
‘I was brought up better and I know better… I know violence isn’t the answer especially not towards women,’ he said.
The appeal was opposed by the Crown, which said Drummond had already received a lenient sentence for serious offending involving public violence against a woman.
The judge accepted Drummond’s offending was an aberration and that it wasn’t ‘necessary’ for convictions to be recorded.
The judge left in place a conditional release order, mandating good behaviour for 14 months and told Drummond to thank his family and ‘your lucky stars’.
For 24/7 support, call Lifeline on 13 11 14. For any support with instances of violence or abuse call 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732).