Nathan Farrugia sentenced for wilful damage, common assault

A Sunshine Coast concreter and dad unleashed a scary daylight attack when he showed up at his former tenants’ home armed with a weapon.

Nathan Farrugia represented himself in the Maroochydore District Court, where he was sentenced for unleashing on a couple of former tenants of his.

A couple’s former landlord showed up at their home armed with a weapon in a daylight attack, a court has been told.

Nathan Farrugia, 32, represented himself in the Maroochydore District Court on Thursday, August 24, where he was sentenced for unleashing on the couple, who were former tenants at his Burnside home, the court was told.

They were not his tenants at the time of the offences.

Crown prosecutor Elle Bolam told the court Farrugia had shown up at a Coes Creek home on the afternoon of October 12, 2021, wielding an axe handle, without the blade, and threatening and demanding to see the woman inside.

This was after this woman was involved in an altercation with Farrugia’s partner, the court was told.

A man living at the house tried to calm Farrugia down, but Farrugia, who was standing at the fence of the property, began smashing palings and damaging the gate with the axe handle. He then grabbed the man by the throat, the court was told.

The woman Farrugia was after, still inside the house, called the police and, after seeing Farrugia’s hand around the man’s throat, came outside to tell him the police were on their way.

Nathan Farrugia.

Farrugia let go and swore at the couple, before he told them “I know where you live”.

After bashing their cars with the axe handle he left the scene but threatened to return the next day.

He was not arrested until December 2021, the court was told, when police were called to a separate incident at Mooloolaba State School after Farrugia damaged an $11,000 car beyond repair over a parking dispute.

Farrugia said there was “no excuse” for his behaviour that afternoon.

He told the court he had three children, and was the sole breadwinner for his family working as a concreter.

He had taken to meditating and spending more time with his children to combat his anger issues, he said.

Judge Gary Long asked if Farrugia had spoken about anger management with a general practitioner. Farrugia said no, but he would take Judge Long’s advice on board.

Farrugia pleaded guilty to common assault and wilful damage.

He was sentenced to four months’ imprisonment, suspended for 15 months.