Tuggerah Super Centre brawl: Zak Merrell-Rose, Jonah Matai plead guilty y
A protagonist in a wild brawl at a Central Coast shopping centre revealed to police what caused the conflict, which broke out in front of terrified customers. But officers suspect another reason as to why the fight broke out between two groups, a court has heard.
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Two men have faced court charged over a wild brawl which broke out in front of terrified customers at Tuggerah Super Centre earlier this month.
But just what sparked the melee may remain a mystery to only those directly involved after they pleaded guilty to their respective roles and will therefore not have to give evidence or be cross-examined.
Zak Adam Merrell-Rose, 18, of Blue Haven, pleaded guilty at Wyong Local Court on Wednesday to affray, being armed with intent to commit a serious indictable offence and driving while suspended.
His co-accused Jonah Junior Garry Matai, 18, of Wyong pleaded guilty to one count of affray.
A set of agreed facts tendered in both matters state Merrell-Rose bought a black Toyota Celica two months ago but never had it registered.
His licence was suspended in April because of fine defaults.
“On September 1 police suspect an arranged fight between two groups was organised,” the facts state.
CCTV footage showed a group of 10 young persons congregating around the car park and grassed area of the rear service lane of Tuggerah Super Centre.
At 2.14pm Merrell-Rose’ black Celica is captured driving down the service lane before doing a U-turn at a roundabout and stopping in the road when he, Matai and two other unknown males exit the car.
“The accused (Merrell-Rose) was wearing a white coloured shirt, black shorts, white thongs and carrying a long thin object which looks to be a baseball bat,” the facts state.
“The accused and co-accused’s are seen to chase the group of young persons who are on the grassed area. These young people immediately run away from them, along the service lane.”
A second vehicle, a blue Mitsubishi Lancer, drives into frame and it too does a U-turn and stops behind the black Celica.
An unknown male and two females get out of the vehicle.
By this stage Merrell-Rose, Matai and the others walk back to their car.
“Over the next 15 minutes both vehicles are seen driving around the Super Center car park and surrounds in what police believe was a patrol for these young persons,” the facts state.
“The young persons retreated into the Super Centre and were moving as a group. They appeared scared and not willing to leave the centre when approached by centre staff.”
About 2.30pm the young persons were walking along the front of the Super Centre towards the automatic entry doors, which lead back into the centre were Service NSW and Fantastic Furniture are situated.
“At this time witnesses identified the accused driving the black Celica and talking on his mobile phone travelling along the car park driveway, running parallel to Bunnings Warehouse Tuggerah,” the facts state.
Merrell-Rose’s car is seen by witnesses to pull up and they get out.
“The accused is holding a glossy blue baseball bat with writing down the bat in his right hand,” the facts state.
The others get out with one young person armed with a black coloured machete.
“The young persons are captured on CCTV footage running in all directions towards the car park before they all turn and retreat into the automatic doors,” the facts state.
CCTV captures Matai with a tribal tattoo on his forearm.
“Jonah takes hold of an unknown person. They struggle with one another before Jonah throws a right closed fist upper cut hitting (the victim) in the jaw,” the facts state.
They break apart and the victim tries to kick Matai but he catches the victim’s foot and “lifts it in the air causing him to fall” before Matai lands on him and starts throwing punches at the victim’s head.
Another unknown man runs in and starts fighting a second victim.
The younger man with the machete runs into the shops followed by another unknown man and the group start punching and kicking the victim “around his head area”.
Eventually bystanders intervene and the Merrell-Rose, Matai and their co-accuseds get into their vehicles and flee.
The first victim recovered briefly on a lounge display at Fantastic Furniture before he was joined by others and the group of young persons leave towards Bunnings.
A week later on September 8 detectives went to a house on Olney Drive at Blue Haven where unemployed Merrell-Rose lived with his parents.
The facts state he made certain admissions to police.
“I was driving and was at the lights, these kids just said something to us,” he told police.
“I have a short temper and yeah that’s what started it.”
Magistrate Caleb Franklin ordered a pre-sentence report before adjourning both men to October 14 for sentence.
The court heard one other male, aged 16, who was allegedly armed with the machete, was charged and will be dealt with in the Children’s Court next month.
No one else has been charged over the incident.