Mark Barwick: Father of four sentenced for punching neighbour
What started as a dispute about lights shining into his backyard and loud music turned violent after a fed-up Dubbo business owner arrived on his neighbour’s doorstep and launched his “unprovoked attack”.
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A Dubbo man who repeatedly punched his neighbour after a dispute about lights and loud music has been ordered to pay up.
Father-of-four Mark Barwick had been living next to a couple on Snowy Crescent in Dubbo for about 13 months before things came to a head.
According to court documents, the 47-year-old plasterer finally had enough and turned up on his neighbours doorstep to complain about a light shining into his backyard.
He spoke to the man who raised his own concerns was invited outside the home to listen to loud music Barwick said was coming from the home.
Barwick then clenched his right fist and punched the man in the face, knocking him to the ground.
After blood started flowing, and when the man’s wife intervened, Barwick hit her and tried to pull her away so she could get to the man.
When the man got to his feet to defend his wife, Barwick punched the man again.
In Dubbo Local Court Barwick pleaded guilty to one count of assault occasioning actual bodily harm and one count of assault.
The court heard Barwick never intended to hit the woman and was ashamed of his actions.
Magistrate Gary Wilson said Barwick committed an unprovoked attack.
“You’re lucky you’ve pretty much got a clean slate otherwise jail would be certainly a consideration,” magistrate Wilson told Barwick.
“Given that the apprehended violence order is in place for two years I’m not going to place you on a good behaviour bond.”
Barwick was convicted and fined $2000.