Maximilian Budack, Kupu brothers Matthew and Osaiasi, sentenced over Kokomo's nightclub brawl

Canberra Comanchero commander Pitasoni Ulavalu was stabbed to death in the July 2020 melee by Frederick Elijah Mercy Tuifua, who is yet to be sentenced for the murder.

The ACT Magistrates Court on Thursday heard Maximilian Ellis Kurt Budack, who was at the venue with Tuifua, had created the "powder keg" that blew up into the brawl.

The episode began when Budack clashed with two of Ulavalu's group of gangsters, who took his bag off him before he was booted out of the club by security guards.

CCTV footage, played in court, showed the 27-year-old quickly returning in a rage.

Prosecutor Luke Crocker said the personal trainer, who forced his way back inside, was "clearly there to fight" and not "to politely ask for his bag back".

Indeed, it did not take long for furniture to start flying and startled patrons to dash into a kitchen for cover as Budack and his party of six took aim at the smaller bunch of bikies.

The melee split into two parts, taking over an entire floor of the nightclub.

Matthew Kupu, a 23-year-old man with a boxing background, set his sights on Comanchero member Shane Houghton.

Mr Crocker said Kupu threw 19 punches at Houghton and also stomped on him, ultimately leaving the bikie with a broken nose.

Kupu's brother, 24-year-old Osaiasi Kupu, punched Zachary Robb and held that bikie to enable another man to land several strikes.

Budack, who threw a punch in the commotion, played a less serious role once the melee had actually erupted, though Mr Crocker described him as being the initial aggressor.

The brothers and Budack were all in court on Thursday to be sentenced for affray.

Budack appeared via video link from jail, where he had spent more than 13 months on remand.

This time related to his involvement in both the nightclub brawl and a subsequent bashing behind bars last November, over which he pleaded guilty to an assault charge.

The Kupus were on a screen from Sydney, having been released on bail late last year following three months and 20 days locked up.

All three were represented by barrister AJ Karim, who asked magistrate James Lawton to spare the trio more time in custody.

Mr Crocker did not oppose this but noted the seriousness of the Kokomo's incident, which occurred in "a crowded nightclub" that was stained with blood as innocent people went quickly went from "enjoying their drinks to their tables being turned over".

He said the brawl had involved 10 fit men, some of whom were "very large".

"This was an exhibition of extreme and unrelenting violence," the prosecutor said.

Mr Karim conceded it was serious, but he pushed for his clients to have any further jail time suspended.

He referred to the case of the only brawler to have already been dealt with.

That man, who cannot be named, served just 64 days behind bars before having the rest of his six-month sentence suspended.

MORE COURT AND CRIME NEWS:

"If [these] offenders do not receive a similar sentence, there would be a justifiable sense of grievance," Mr Karim told the court.

Mr Lawton ultimately said anyone who engaged in such public violence should expect a custodial sentence, and each of these three men had already spent time in jail.

He sentenced Matthew Kupu to a backdated prison term of eight months, while Budack and Osaiasi Kupu both got six months.

The remaining portions of the siblings' sentences were suspended.

Budack, who was shot in a suspected reprisal attack prior to his arrest, also received a further six months for his role in the "vicious" five-on-one prison bashing.

He had already served both his sentences on remand, meaning he was released from custody.

Tuifua is expected to be sentenced later this year.

The only remaining man charged over the Kokomo's incident will contest an affray allegation at a hearing in February.

Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content: