Former Pomona butcher jailed for punching windshield, spitting in man’s face
The 46-year-old Gympie man punched in an elderly driver’s windshield because he was driving too slowly, brake-checked another driver and spat in a man’s face in Mary Street.
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A 46-year-old Gympie man charged with vicious road rage offences, including punching in someone’s windshield, stared at the bar table while his offences were read aloud in court on Tuesday.
Levi Bennett pleaded guilty to five offences committed between July 2020 and February 2021, including threats of violence, assault, and dangerous driving.
Police prosecutor Nick Nitschke said on two separate occasions, Bennett subjected two drivers to dangerous road rage, including a 74-year-old man, and on a separate occasion spat in the face of a man in Mary St, Gympie.
During the first road rage incident on July 28, 2020, Bennett was driving through Monkland on the Bruce Highway, swerving left and right behind a vehicle before overtaking it and then slamming the brakes on when in front of it, the court heard.
On December 20, 2020, he abused a 74-year-old man for driving below the speed limit in Graham St in Gympie, punching in the man’s windshield and window guard and causing extensive damage.
On February 4, 2021, Bennett was very drunk and spat in the face of a man in Mary St in Gympie, before raising his fist in a threatening manner, and causing the man to drive away out of fear, the court heard.
Defence lawyer Chris Anderson said his client had an issue with anger management, which contributed to the road rage.
He also said Bennett had an issue with drinking.
Bennett was disqualified from driving for 12 months, ordered to pay $651.91 restitution for the damaged windshield, and sentenced to nine months jail.
He will only serve three months behind bars, before being eligible for parole on September 14, 2021.
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