As Bondi bashing victim Michael McEwen came out of a coma, a man charged in relation to his violent assault learned he would spend Christmas behind bars. Jamie Ennis, 23, was already on bail for another violent assault when police allege he was involved in an altercation which left Mr McEwen in an induced coma for almost a week. Recovering: Bashing victim Michael McEwen is out of danger. Mr Ennis appeared via video link before Parramatta Bail Court on Sunday, accused of having a physical altercation with the victim before another person threw the punch that knocked the 23-year-old unconscious. Magistrate Carl Milovanovich said the courts needed to send a strong message about alcohol-related violence. ""I think a message has to go out to the community,"" he said. Police allege the accused was thrown out of the Beach Road Hotel in the early hours of December 14 and became involved in a scuffle outside a beachside kebab store. About 30 seconds later, he was one of a group of men who approached Mr McEwen on Campbell Parade. Mr Ennis allegedly grabbed the IT consultant's T-shirt before someone else threw the punch that left him in a critical condition. Mr McEwen twice underwent surgery to relieve swelling on his brain and woke from a coma on Saturday. The accused was charged with affray after police found his fingerprint on a bus stop metres away from where Mr McEwen was punched. Legal Aid lawyer Peter Guirguis said the prosecution case was weak with the absence of witnesses and CCTV footage. ""The prosecution in my submission could not exclude the reasonable possibility that his fingerprint was left at the bus stop while [he was] waiting for a bus,"" Mr Guirguis said. Magistrate Milovanovich said he believed the prosecution had a strong case for the charge of affray and opposed bail. Mr Ennis, a removalist, groaned loudly and dropped his gaze to the ground upon hearing he would not be released from custody. ""This is wrong,"" he muttered. He has been living with his cousin in Bondi and was due to appear in Waverley Local Court in March for assault occasioning actual bodily harm.