Australian Maniac Sentenced For Smashing 44-Pound Weight Into Guy's Head At Gym

An Australian man who decided to smash a 44-pound (20kg) weight into a guy's head at a gym learned his sentence Monday after pleading guilty before his trial was to begin in a shocking case due to witnesses saying the two men had been "amicable" and "friendly" towards each other.

Shane William Ryan, 33, was sentenced to 19 months for the disturbing incident where he took the 44-pound plate and smashed the victim as he was laying on a bench doing a chest exercise.

From the video surveillance footage, Ryan seems to act like he injured his ankle in the incident before he walks away, leaving the victim bleeding and suffering from a fractured skull. Eventually, Ryan reappears and calls an ambulance.

Why smash the guy's face?

Ryan insists he did it "accidentally" but he eventually came to the ultimate conclusion in court that he did it deliberately, according to the Daily Mail.

"The victim was vulnerable as he was lying on his back and had weights in his hands, he was unable to protect himself — he also had no reason to believe that you would attack him as you did," the judge told Ryan.

"The lack of an obvious motive for you to have engaged in this offense is troubling."

Ryan won't be eligible for parole until he's served 10 months.

How does this work when this guy gets out of jail? Does he have to wear some shirt at the gym stating he is a maniac who could snap at any moment? Is there a protect yourself at all times alert that goes off in the gym when he walks in?

Look at all these weapons Ryan has to choose from when he's in a gym. Can we be sure this guy's just there to get a pump in and not there to smash a guy's face in?

The Australian gym association has its work cut out with this one. If Planet Fitness can have a "no grunting" policy, you have to believe Australian gyms will go to a "no smashing your fellow workout community member's face" policy.

Written by
Joe Kinsey is the Senior Director of Content of OutKick and the editor of the Morning Screencaps column that examines a variety of stories taking place in real America. Kinsey is also the founder of OutKick’s Thursday Night Mowing League, America’s largest virtual mowing league. Kinsey graduated from University of Toledo.