Serial thief in court for 'cowardly' punch

"He hasn't got much going for him," she added.

Judge Dick said the 33-year-old's "smorgasbord" of offences including having punched two innocent men who offered a woman a lift when leaving a hotel north of Brisbane about 9.30pm on July 22, 2020.

One man needed surgery to his jaw.

The court was told Gurney - who was on bail and parole at the time he attacked the men - has an extensive criminal history, having been convicted in a Bundaberg court for offences committed from 2006 to 2017 and in NSW for crimes over 10 years.

These included stealing jewellery from women he was in a relationship with before selling it, and transferring money from their bank accounts to himself.

Gurney has also been convicted for punching a woman in the face, kicking a dog, stalking, burglary and robbery.

Defence barrister Stephen Kissick said Gurney is clearly "a brazen user of people and money", but his difficulty is alcohol, not drug-related.

"He is a man who would seem to engage in binge-drinking," he added.

But Judge Dick said the behaviour was absolutely appalling.

"This man doesn't stop offending," she told Mr Kissick.

"All I want is a situation where he can be taken into custody immediately if he reoffends ... an immediate return should he let me down."

Judge Dick sentenced Gurney to two years and six months behind bars for the "cowardly" punch from behind on one man and 12 months' imprisonment for assaulting the other.

The sentences were immediately suspended for four years.

"One last chance from me and that's it," Judge Dick told Gurney.

"You have a long time to behave yourself."

The court heard Gurney will live with his parents on Russell Island, in Moreton Bay off Brisbane, if released from custody.

But Mr Kissick said his client would remain behind bars pending a bail application on other charges listed for trial in October.