Jona Faingaa pleads guilty over ‘singles night’ brawl at Mormon church
The brother of an NRL player has pleaded guilty to his role in a brawl at a Mormon dance for young singles, telling The Daily Telegraph the night “just went out of control”.
NSW
Don't miss out on the headlines from NSW. Followed categories will be added to My News.
The brother of an NRL player has pleaded guilty to his role in a brawl at a Mormon dance for young singles, telling The Daily Telegraph the night “just went out of control”.
Jona Faingaa, 20, pleaded guilty to affray in Liverpool Local Court today, bringing more detail to light over the October 25 fracas in which police allege Manly Sea Eagles player Manase Fainu stabbed a man in the back, puncturing his lung.
Fainu has pleaded not guilty to wounding a person with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, affray and recklessly causing grievous bodily harm. He was granted bail last month.
“I’m sorry about it, yeah. It just went out of control,” Faingaa told The Telegraph outside court regarding his own role in the fight.
Police facts in the case of Faingaa, who is the brother of Fainu’s Sea Eagles teammate Haumole Olakau’atu, state Faingaa and a group of others approached a man and woman on the dance floor at the event and began arguing.
MORE NEWS:
Girl found in hot car fights for life
Folau files new $14 million compensation claim
“The Master of Ceremony stopped the music and a Parish leader intervened and removed several persons from the hall, to prevent further trouble,” the facts said.
Faingaa then started arguing with one of the young men who helped the parish leader move him on.
Later, the documents said Faingaa and a group of others caught up with the man in the car park “encouraging him to fight”.
The brawl started when two men exchanged punches to the head, with Faingaa “punching several people”.
Police allege Fainu, whose arm was in a sling from post-season shoulder surgery, has stabbed a 24-year-old man in the back.
“A number of persons have yelled ‘knife, knife’, at which point, the two groups have stopped brawling and several persons have rendered first aid to the victim,” the documents in Faingaa’s matter said.
The facts also reveal Faingaa was still serving a 12-month conditional release order, or bond, for an affray last year when the attack occurred.
Faingaa was arrested at Liverpool Police Station on November 14. He is due to be sentenced on January 8.
Fainu went to police days later and spent a fortnight in custody, despite telling a local court magistrate he was not the stabber.
His case will return to court on December 16.