Online clothing store owner pleads guilty to assault after Aldi theft

The Deception Bay-based owner of an online clothing store has faced court for a brutal assault on an Aldi worker.

A man has been given a suspended jail sentence for punching an Aldi worker in the face. Picture: Peter Wallis/File

The owner of an online clothing store punched an Aldi store manager in the face when he was approached for shoplifting, a court has heard.

Caboolture Magistrates Court heard Iakopo James Faletagoai struck out at Deception Bay supermarket manager when he was approached about stolen meat.

Faletagoai, who the court heard was agitated by the pain of a neck injury, panicked and punched the staff member in the face.

The court heard 37-year-old Faletagoai, from Deception Bay, stole the meat because he didn’t have the money to pay for it.

The court heard Faletagoai was the owner of an online clothing store, a career he had moved into after his neck injury ended his career as a labourer.

The court heard the “remorseful” man — who had a history of substance abuse and was seeking rehabilitation — had two previous convictions for assault.

He pleaded guilty and was sentenced to six months jail for assault occasioning bodily harm and four months jail for stealing. Both sentences were immediately suspended.