Real estate agent Eduardo Duran pleads guilty to assault

A Sydney property identity sank more than a dozen drinks before committing a ‘rather brutal’ glassing on a retired teacher at a school reunion in Canberra.

Eduardo Ernesto Duran entering the ACT Supreme Court on February 5, 2024. Picture: Sam Turner

A prominent Sydney real estate identity has avoided jail after glassing one of his partner’s old teachers at a school reunion in Canberra.

Eduardo Ernesto Duran locked eyes with journalists before and after his sentence hearing in the ACT Supreme Court on Monday, after pleading guilty to a “brutal” assault at Fenway Public House in Phillip.

Agreed facts say the 40-year-old attended a reunion for Caroline Chisholm School on September 17, 2022 with his partner, who was a former student.

During the evening the couple were with a group of other students when they began to speak to a retired Caroline Chisholm School teacher.

CCTV captured the moment the night soured, when Duran “unexpectedly” pulled the neck of the teacher and placed force on the back of his neck.

Eduardo Ernesto Duran smirking to media as he entered court on Monday.

Duran and the teacher continued to talk until the 40-year-old put the victim in a neck hold.

Court documents say Duran pulled the scarf the victim was wearing and took a glass out of the teacher’s hand.

Duran drank the entirety of the glass before he placed the victim in a headlock again.

The facts say as Duran put his hand behind the victim’s neck, the 40-year-old held the glass in his hand and punched the victim’s face.

Court documents state the teacher suffered immediate injuries from the assault, while Duran left the scene.

Almost a year later the victim had to undergo surgery when he suffered an infection in his scar.

In court on Monday, Justice Louise Taylor said CCTV of the incident showed the “shocking and rather brutal” attack on the unsuspecting teacher.

Eduardo Ernesto Duran pleaded guilty to assault.

Justice Taylor said the victim reported suffering from physical pain, shock and trauma, and was “unlucky enough” to be on the receiving end of the attack after Duran sunk 12 to 15 drinks.

The ACT Supreme Court Judge accepted however there was no evidence the glass broke on impact.

She labelled the assault as entirely unprovoked with the scar under the victim’s eye being a “reminder” of the violence perpetrated against him.

The court heard Duran, a Nicaraguan-born Australian Army veteran who served tours overseas, ran his own property management business with 50 employees.

In documents before the court, Duran said media reporting of his case along with the proceedings affected his business.

Justice Taylor said Duran had undertaken his own counselling and treatment for his mental health along with his alcohol and drug use in recent years.

References tendered to the court spoke of Duran’s good character along with his generosity and commitment, particularly to other veterans.

The court was told he accepted responsibility for the attack and engaged in a “regimen of psychological assistance” of his own volition.

Duran was sentenced to 14 months’ jail, suspended for two years.