Simione Latu sentenced after shoving principal at Kabar High School

A man has admitted to shoving the principal at a Queanbeyan high school after arriving at the school to make a complaint about the treatment of a student.

A Karabar man has been convicted and fined $300 for assaulting a high-school principal on campus.

Simione Latu, 25, was sentenced in Queanbeyan Court on October 25 for assaulting former Karabar High School principal Andrew Turvey last year.

According to court documents at 11:30am on September 25, 2020 Mr Latu went to Karabar High School and approached the office of Assistant Principal Stephen Barrett.

Mr Latu accused Mr Barrett of “(laying) hands” on a student known to him at the school.

This accusation related to a previous incident at the school between two students.

Karabar High School Principal Andrew Turvey intervened and asked Mr Latu to leave the campus.

He then followed Mr Turvey to school exit, however he later turned around and began to yell aggressively at the school principal.

Mr Latu then shoved Turvey near the chest and shoulder with two open palms resulting in the principal’s name badge being ripped from his jacket.

Police attended the school at 12.45pm and the victim told police he still had pain in his upper body from the incident.

When police attended Mr Latu’s residence at 4:30pm November 11 2020 he told officers that he pushed Turvey out of his “personal space” and claimed he was “yelling and spitting” at him.

Simione Latu has been fined $300 for assaulting the principal of Karabar High School in September 2020. Picture: Facebook

Mr Latu’s solicitor argued in court his actions were “more of a push than a shove” however Magistrate Michael O’Brien dismissed this statement.

His solicitor said Mr Latu attended the school to make an official complaint on regarding the incident between the two students however the situation “escalated” into aggression.

Magistrate O’Brien said it was “all very well” for parents and relatives of school students to take up complaints to the school but there was an “appropriate” way to do so.

“If you have a legitimate grievance it shouldn't end in this,” he said.

In court Mr Latu agreed that he didn’t handle the situation appropriately.

Mr Latu initially plead not guilty when the case was first heard on February 8 2021. He later changed his plea to guilty on August 26 2021.

Magistrate O’Brien said he had “no plans” of giving Latu a prison sentence, and instead recorded a conviction and ordered him to pay a $300 fine.

Simione Latu will face Queanbeyan Local Court again for a separate assault matter on March 15 2022.