The man who bashed Ron Barassi as he came to a woman's aid has had his jail sentence cut because it was not proven that his attack caused the AFL legend memory loss.
Travis Raymond Bowling, 30, had his original six-year jail term reduced to four years and four months after he successfully appealed his conviction for intentionally causing serious injury to Mr Barassi.
Bowling was convicted and jailed in 2011 on two counts of intentionally causing serious injury after he attacked a woman and then Mr Barassi in a St Kilda street on New Year's Day in 2009.
Bowling punched the woman, Tessa Green, in the face, then attacked Mr Barassi, then 72, as Barassi came to her aid.
He did not appeal his conviction for the attack on Ms Green, who required reconstructive surgery for a fractured eye socket after he punched her but successfully had his conviction against Mr Barassi quashed.
The Victorian Court of Appeal on Thursday substituted the lesser charge of intentionally causing injury.
Justice Robert Redlich said in convicting Bowling of causing serious injury to Mr Barassi, the jury had taken into account memory loss Mr Barassi had suffered as a result of the attack.
The trial judge had instructed the jury that serious injury would include psychological injury but the prosecution did not present evidence establishing a link between the attack and memory loss, Justice Redlich said.
"If the Crown was relying upon the victim's loss of memory as an injury, it would have been necessary to call evidence establishing a causal connection between the appellant's conduct and that loss of memory," Justice Redlich said.
Bowling's original non-parole period of four years was reduced to two years and three months.
Speaking outside the court, Bowling's mother Lisa Bowling apologised for Mr Barassi's injuries but said her son was not a bad person.
"He can get his life back again and move on," Mrs Bowling said.
