Kodi Brian Charles Pettitt in court over assault and public nuisance

A young man has fronted court after he came to his father’s aid in a street fight involving more than 15 men.

A Bundaberg court has heard how Childers man Kodi Brian Charles Pettitt got involved in a wild street brawl after believing his father was in danger.

On Thursday, the court heard details of how Pettitt, 22, armed himself with a post and got amongst the violent fight on Churchill St, Childers.

The brawl unfolded just after midnight on August 16, 2020, when a group of local men and a group of Tongan nationals, about 15 or more people in total, became involved in the skirmish, yelling and hitting each other with random objects.

A lawyer for Pettitt told the court that the young farm worker had heard his dad was in trouble and ran to the scene.

Pettitt ran towards the middle of the melee and pushed one of the Tongan nationals out of the way.

The court heard there was footage of the incident where Pettitt could be seen kicking and punching a Tongan national who suffered cuts, swelling and bruising as a result of the attack.

Pettitt pleaded guilty to one count of assault occasioning bodily harm whilst armed in company and one count of public nuisance.

Magistrate Trinity McGarvie expressed the seriousness of a public fight which could cause distress to onlookers in the community.

“You wrongly made a choice to get involved in someone else’s fight,” she told Pettitt.

For the assault charge, Pettitt was sentenced to nine months’ prison, fully suspended for 10 months.

For the charge of public nuisance, Pettitt was convicted and not further charged.

No convictions were recorded.