Jok Gar: ‘Cowardly thug’, 20, who knocked a stranger out in attack that left victim with his ear hanging off learns his fate

A ‘thug’ punched a stranger in Melbourne’s CBD before his friend allegedly partially cut off the man’s earlobe with a knife when he refused to hand over his wallet and phone in a robbery.

Jok Gar, 20, appeared in the Melbourne District Court on Friday where he pleaded guilty to robbery and recklessly causing injury.

Judge Frances Hogan released Gar, of Geelong West, saying the behavior was ‘cowardly’ and that he showed a ‘complete lack of empathy’.

“It’s a terrible insult that strikes at the heart of the safety of people in our community to walk alone on the street at night, it’s just terrible,” she said, reports The Geelong Advertiser.

The court heard that Gar and his co-accused Tyler Da Silva walked up to the complete stranger at the intersection of Spring St and Victoria Pde in central Melbourne on September 6, 2022.

When the man refused to hand over his wallet and phone, the two men allegedly assaulted him.

“During the attack, the appellant slashed himself with a knife, causing an incised wound to his right cheek and partially severing his right earlobe,” Crown prosecutor Matthew Cookson said.

Gar is not accused of having the knife or being an accomplice in the use of the blade in the attack.

But the court heard the victim collapsed when he was punched by Gar, who was born in Egypt and immigrated to Australia with his family when he was six.

The pair then took the man’s phone and left him lying in the street bleeding.

Police later found the two at around 4.30am in the bathrooms of Southern Cross train station with Gar’s defense lawyer claiming he was under the influence of drugs during the night.

Co-accused Da Silva will appear in court next week to enter his plea to charges of armed robbery and wounding with intent.

Gar will reappear for sentencing at a later date.