Sydney man Francis Wilson has part of skull removed after alleged random CBD attack

“The defendant fled the scene but never returned.”

CCTV footage allegedly showed an unsteady Wilson being helped onto a wooden bench before he “stumbled” onto the corner of George and Liverpool streets.

Eyewitnesses notified the police when they found him unconscious. He was taken to St Vincent’s Hospital in a critical condition.

Officers responding to reports of an unrelated incident located Belhout at a nearby KFC store on George Street. Upon review of CCTV footage, he was charged with recklessly causing grievous bodily harm while in company and fighting.

Belhout remained in custody until he was granted bail in the NSW Supreme Court in early December.

Defense lawyers applying for bail said Belhout denied the accusations and would defend his right to self-defense. They said the main issue at trial would be “whether he caused injury to the victim by his actions.”

‘There’s a big hole in his head that’s not actually a skull. ‘There’s nothing protecting your brain’

Keira Bale, Wilson’s sister-in-law

The Crown opposed bail, arguing that the CCTV footage “clearly depicted” Belhout’s actions and that there was no suggestion of self-defence as Wilson was kicked after he fell.

The court heard Belhout was a French citizen with a valid visa who could live with his brother in Ultimo and continue working as an Uber driver.

Belhout moved to Australia in September, the month of the alleged attack, according to a letter of support from his brother, who offered $5,000 in bail.

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The letter stated that Belhout was “extremely stressed and frantic” while in custody because he did not speak English and was “still trying to understand what was going on.”

Belhout was released on bail with conditions such as reporting to the police every day, complying with the curfew and not approaching international departure points.

Wilson’s sister-in-law, Keira Bale, said: reporter He described how the road to recovery was long and painful and how his family thought they would lose him.

He underwent brain surgery and part of his skull was removed, and the third surgery is planned for next month.

“He’s got a big hole in his head right now, but he doesn’t actually have a skull, so there’s nothing protecting his brain,” he said.

Bale said Wilson was moved from the hospital to an inpatient rehabilitation facility, where he “had to relearn pretty much everything,” including eating and drinking.

A fundraising page Bale set up to support Wilson has raised more than $14,000.

Bale described Wilson as “a really kind, family-oriented guy.”

“He has seven other siblings and their mother passed away at a very young age, so they always had a very close family bond,” he said.

“He’s a really nice guy.”

Belhout will appear in the local court for his next hearing on February 17.

Another defendant, who is also a French citizen, continues to be tried in the courts.

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