A violent incident on Crampton Street in the early hours of Saturday morning saw a 27-year-old Wagga man bashed and robbed as he was innocently walking home.

The victim was knocked to the ground, had his nose fractured and had to undergo dental surgery following the run-in. 

When will young thugs realise just how easily things can go dramatically wrong?

Surely they – like the rest of us – heard the news reports of the one-punch deaths of Thomas Kelly and Daniel Kelly in Kings Cross in 2012 and 2013.

One split-second decision by each attacker – fuelled by surging testosterone and a belly full of grog – changed the lives of the victims and their families forever.

But they weren’t the only ones whose lives ended after what was supposed to be a fun night out on the town.

The decision to react violently also resulted in jail time for the attackers, ending any future hopes they had planned – at least in the mid-term. 

So what can be done to stop this culture of alcohol-fuelled violence?

Locally, the upcoming CCTV network may have an effect on Wagga’s street violence statistics.

The thought that someone could be watching may make attackers think twice.

When the CCTV cameras do capture these incidents, penalties for those convicted of such crimes need to be harsher, sending a message that we just won’t put up with this kind of neanderthal behaviour.

A higher police presence may also deter offenders and get those who are too drunk to know what they’re doing off the streets earlier.

Schools and parents can better educate young boys about the dangers of drinking too much and fighting, as well as how easy it is to kill someone with a single punch.

At the end of the day we, as a community, have to take responsibility for this culture and make a stand.

This is our city and we won’t be bullied into not enjoying it.