Benjamin Falefoou: Islander footy brawl, OneFour associate sentenced
A magistrate has lashed a OneFour associate over a wild footy brawl in which he said children and other members of the community were exposed to gratuitous gang violence.
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A man with links to the notorious OneFour gang who led a violent brawl at a Pacific Islander football match last year has narrowly avoided jail time.
Benjamin Falefoou, 22, was sentenced at Mt Druitt Local Court today, charged with one count of affray over a melee between rival western Sydney gangs at a Samoa vs Tonga cultural rugby league match at Federation Forest last October.
Falefoou pleaded guilty to his role in the altercation, admitting to “using his large size” to lead a group of up to 10 males, alleged to have links to OneFour, through the crowd at the Toko Uso Cup.
Police documents said some men in the group, but not Falefoou, attacked two men, aged 21 and 23, stomping on their heads and kicking them on the ground near a toilet block in front of spectators and young children.
The 21-year-old man was left unconscious and suffered serious facial injuries. The 23-year-old man sustained cuts and bruises to his head.
The group fled the scene, with Mr Falefoou detained by bystanders before police arrived at the scene.
At an earlier court appearance, police prosecutor Senior Sergeant Craig Pullen, head of Strike Force Imbara, tasked with tackling suburban gangs like OneFour, pushed for Falefoou to be banned from associating with anyone with links to the gang.
However, Falefoou’s defence claimed he was not a member of OneFour or the closely associated Greater West gang.
The non-association order sought to ban Falefoou from contacting at least 100 people in the Mt Druitt area, including family members.
The order was dropped due to it “effectively preventing Mr Falefoou from associating with half of Mt Druitt”, Magistrate James Gibson said.
At today’s sentencing, Mr Gibson slammed rising gang violence in western Sydney.
“The real gravity of this offence is that it was done on a day that should have been a fun day in the Pacific Islander community,” Mr Gibson said.
“To bring gang violence to that oval and display it in front of members of your community and children, who need to be shown by people like you a better example, is the real gravity of the matter.
“Had you been involved in the actual violence as opposed to being a part of a joint enterprise, you would be looking at full-time custody today.
“Gang violence can’t be tolerated in the community.”
Mr Gibson acknowledged Falefoou’s “otherwise good character” and limited criminal history.
He was ordered to enter into a Community Corrections Order for 15 months and complete 100 hours of community service.