A young Australian man who was preparing to give evidence against two students who allegedly beat him brutally at a Thai nightclub last year instead found himself in a police cell and asked to post bail.
Jack Hansen-Bartel, 21, was at court on Friday for the first day of a hearing against two Asian-American students accused of the attack on June 10 last year.
Mr Hansen-Bartel was required to undergo several operations to treat facial injuries after the attack on the resort island of Samui.
The attackers were identified by witnesses as two Asian-American students visiting from an international school in China.
Police quickly arrested the students as Mr Hansen-Bartel was taken to hospital, but the pair, both from wealthy families, have reportedly attempted to influence the case.
Thailand's Office of the Ombudsman launched an investigation, resulting in the replacement of the public prosecutor overseeing the case amid allegations of irregularities.
The two American men and their families were at the Samui Court on Friday to hear charges of serious assault on Mr Hansen-Bartel, but the hearing was postponed and Mr Hansen-Bartel was taken into custody in response to charges filed earlier this year by lawyers representing the two Americans.
The lawyers had Mr Hansen-Bartel charged with assaulting the two students without causing them any physical or psychological harm and of disturbing the peace.
Mr Hansen-Bartel's mother, Annie Hansen-Bartel, originally from Melbourne, says her son was traumatised after being thrown into cells with hardened criminals.
"It's really difficult," she told AAP. "Jack's a really gentle soul and when I see police ... twisting his arm up his back and throwing him on the floor it's not good."
Mr Hansen-Bartel's Melbourne-based brother, Jesse, in a Facebook posting called the jailing of his brother "a ploy clearly tactical in nature designed to detract from the severity of the charges against (the Americans)".
Mr Hansen-Bartel was later released after posting 5000 baht (A$200) bail.
The American families are reported to have offered an out-of-court settlement but this was rejected by Mr Hansen-Bartel's lawyers.
Ms Hansen-Bartel has said the attack on her son was unprovoked and had left the family facing medical and legal bills of more than $180,000.
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