Junior Amone appeals sentence for destroying or damaging property, intimidation and assault
Axed young gun Junior Amone won’t be able to play in the NRL until at least 2026 after two months were slashed from his ICO sentence for arming himself with a hammer and chasing a tradesman off a roof.
Illawarra Star
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Axed young gun Junior Amone won’t be able to play in the NRL until at least 2026 after two months were slashed from his sentence for arming himself with a hammer and chasing a tradesman off a roof.
The 22-year-old former St George Illawarra five-eighth had his $500,000 contract ripped up by the club after he was originally handed a two-year intensive correction order (ICO) in Wollongong Local Court last year, following a heated incident outside his family’s Warrawong home in November 2022.
Amone appeared at NSW District Court alongside his father Talatau, represented by lawyers Elias Tabchouri and John Korn, months after their convictions were confirmed by Judge William Fitzsimmons and their appeals dismissed.
During the severity appeal on Wednesday, Judge Fitzsimmons resentenced Amone to a 16 month ICO, which is a jail term to be served in the community, and a further 50 hours of community service, essentially slashing two months off his original 24 month term, having already served six months.
Amone and Talatau were found guilty of a litany of charges last year with Talatau being sentenced to a two-and-a-half years jail with a 12 month non-parole period. He was immediately granted bail after appealing the decision and will return to Wollongong District Court to await his severity appeal in August.
Amone had pleaded not guilty to destroying or damaging property, intimidation and assault occasioning actual bodily harm.
His father had pleaded not guilty to destroying or damaging property, intimidation and entering a building or land with intent to commit an indictable offence.
However, this publication previously reported that Magistrate Gabriel Fleming found the pair guilty of all their respective charges after an argument ensued over a Nissan Navara parked on a nature strip.
Ms Fleming found Amone then jumped on top of the car, while his father abused and threatened the tradesmen.
She found Amone then climbed onto the roof of the property, where the victim was working, while wielding a claw hammer above his head.
The victim suffered serious injuries, including a broken hand, after jumping to a neighbouring roof to escape, but falling and hitting an airconditioning unit.
Mr Korn told the court on Wednesday Amone had already completed his 300 community service hours “well ahead of time” and had taken the penalty “seriously”.
He said he had spoken with Amone’s former coach and with the NRL who gave “the all clear” for Amone to work around the club which was “delighted to have him back”.
The court heard the NRL wouldn’t “consider him coming back to the game until his sentence [had] completed”.
Mr Korn ultimately asked to reduce Amone’s sentence to 12 months, “to allow him … to recommence an association with professional rugby … on or after” December 11.
The court heard Amone was “encouraged” by his father to participate in the incident and there “should be a proper differentiation” between their sentences.
Crown prosecutor Rob Taylor said to “simply say he was encouraged … discounts” his level of involvement, given he “embraced the situation … [and] was armed with a weapon”.
Judge Fitzsimmons said Amone’s actions “were entirely unprovoked” and “must be denounced”.
He noted Amone hadn’t “expressed remorse”, but was satisfied it was “out of character” and imposed a 16 month aggregate ICO, starting from Wednesday.
Outside court, Mr Korn said they were “still coming to terms” with the judgement and if “understood correctly” Amone won’t be able to return to the NRL next season with 2026 the earliest start.
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