Fairfield: Uluakitau Vahamameo charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm and drug possession

A dad who punched a man in the head during a boozy birthday dinner while police watched on was berated by a magistrate who described his “reprehensible” behaviour as a “cowardly act”.

Uluakitau Vahamameo was charged with posess prohibited drug and assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

A father-of-one who punched a man in the head during a boozy birthday dinner while police watched on was berated by a magistrate who described his “reprehensible” behaviour as a “cowardly act”.

Uluakitau Vahamameo, 39, appeared at Fairfield Local Court on Wednesday and pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm and possess prohibited drug after drinking at the El Cortez Hotel in Canley Heights with friends on July 27 last year.

Agreed police facts state a fight broke out between one of the men celebrating with Vahamameo and a customer in the main bar area.

The 39-year-old and his friends left the venue and waited on the side of the road when his co-accused wife arrived and was accused by one of the men that her family member had hit him in the face.

Uluakitau Vahamameo outside Fairfield Local Court.

Police arrived when the woman and the man erupted into a verbal argument before her husband “punched him in the head with his right hand” and caused him to “fall to the ground”.

“While this occurred Vahamameo mounted the man and punched him in the head while he was on the ground until police pulled Vahamameo away and placed him under arrest,” the facts state.

“The man sustained a small cut to the back of his head causing it to bleed.”

Police searched Vahamameo and found 0.93g of cannabis before he was placed under arrest and taken to Fairfield station.

Facts state Vahamameo and the other parties involved were “placed in time out due to their intoxication levels”.

Uluakitau Vahamameo was charged with posess prohibited drug and assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

“Police determined from conversation that due to the accused people’s intoxication that they have limited recollection of what happened.”

Magistrate Stuart Devine said Vahamameo committed a “cowardly act” as the victim had “already been punched and fallen to the ground when you set upon him and punched him”.

“The community is sick of violent men assaulting other men on the street and it should not have happened,” Mr Devine said.

Mr Devine said Vahamameo’s references described him as a man who “maintained order and peace” but failed the community’s expectations of him on the night/

“That’s what police are there for … you should have told them what was wrong and you shouldn’t have lept on a man who was already vulnerable.”

Vahamameo was convicted and fined $1,500. A third charge of affray was dismissed.