Guilty plea for Vic fatal punch

A man who killed a Victorian camper with a fatal punch will be sentenced on Thursday after pleading guilty to manslaughter.

A Victorian man who fatally punched a defenceless camper and then danced over him like a boxer will be sentenced after pleading guilty to manslaughter.

Dylan Closter, 20, roundhouse punched David Cassai in the town of Rye in the early hours of December 31, 2012.

Mr Cassai fractured his skull in the unprovoked attack and died hours later.

Mr Cassai and his friends were walking back to their campsite when Closter, who was 18 at the time, and his friends starting yelling at the group.

As Mr Cassai put his hands up in a non-threatening pose, Closter punched him in the head, before dancing over his body like a boxer.

At a plea hearing in August, prosecutor Andrew Tinney SC said the violence was solely of Closter's and his friends' making.

"The violence was entirely unprovoked and unwarranted," Mr Tinney said.

Closter's lawyer Justin Hannebery said his client had committed a violent and unjustified assault, but it wasn't a king hit.

"I am sorry for what has happened and feel guilty," Mr Hannebery said Closter had told his counsellor.

Mr Cassai's mother said hospital staff were celebrating New Year's Eve fireworks while she was with her son in hospital.

"For me there was no new year. I had to say goodbye to my son forever," her victim impact statement said.

Closter pleaded guilty to manslaughter in August but suppression orders on the case were only lifted on Wednesday.

He will be sentenced in the Supreme Court on Thursday.


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