A man who fatally punched a patron at Crown Melbourne casino has lost his appeal to reduce his 10-year prison sentence. The Victoria Court of Appeal upheld the original ruling against Tyson Armstrong, noting his rehabilitation prospects were "not good or even moderate."

The incident occurred on March 27, 2022, when an intoxicated Armstrong encountered 29-year-old Luke Francis at the casino. After a brief verbal exchange, Armstrong pursued Francis and delivered a sucker punch from behind, then choked him against a railing. Francis suffered fatal brain bleeding and was removed from life support two days later.

Armstrong, who pleaded guilty to manslaughter, had a history of alcohol-fueled violence, including previous altercations and assaulting a police officer. Despite expressing remorse and having maintained sobriety for three years prior to the incident, the court determined his pattern of behavior warranted the original sentence.

Under Victoria law, Armstrong must serve at least 80% (eight years) of his sentence. The victim's family expressed disappointment with the sentence length, with Francis's girlfriend Tessa Penberthy noting that Armstrong would still have a future at age 37, while Francis lost his chance at having a family.

The three appellate justices emphasized that previous lighter sentences had failed to prevent Armstrong's violent behavior, which ultimately led to the death of "a complete stranger going about his life as he was entitled to do."

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