NRL star Talatau Junior Amone’s father arrested over brutal alleged hammer attack: court

The father of Dragons rising star Talatau Junior Amone is in custody on remand after a court heard shocking allegations of an attack on a tradesman.

Talatau Amone, the father of Dragons young gun by the same name, outside Wollongong Courthouse in 2018. Picture: Dylan Robinson

The father of one of the brightest stars in the NRL is tonight in custody on remand following “serious allegations” he was involved in a shocking armed attack in the Illawarra region which left a tradesman with extensive injuries to his wrists, arms and hip.

Talatau Dal Amone, the father of the Dragons young gun Talatau Junior Amone, was denied bail in Wollongong Local Court on Wednesday, 24 hours after he was arrested at his home in Warrawong.

Amone, 46, was charged with destroying or damaging property, entering a building or land with the intent to commit an indictable offence, affray and two counts of intimidation.

He has pleaded not guilty to the alleged offences.

The court heard Amone had spent years on a $350,000 bail imposed by the Supreme Court after he was charged with being an accessory to an assault on the now deceased crime figure Saso Ristevski with the intent to rob him, in 2016.

The court heard these charges would be heard by a jury in a trial set down for July 2023.

Documents tendered in court on Wednesday allege the father-of-nine approached a tradie‘s work vehicle which was parked across the road from his home on Vermont Rd, Warrawong, and started taking photos of it.

Dragons player Talatau Junior Amone with his father Talatau Dal Amone. Picture: Facebook

“Why are you taking photos of our car,” the tradesman shouted from the roof, however, Amone didn’t respond and returned to his residence, the court heard.

It is alleged Amone returned shortly after and reached into the vehicle, snapped off an interior part of the car before throwing it on the road and returning to his house.

The court documents said at about 11.20am, Amone along with two other unidentified men – one who was armed with a hammer – walked to the car before allegedly jumping on the roof and smashing in the front windscreen.

The tradie called triple-0 as the trio allegedly started climbing a ladder onto the roof where the man was working with a colleague.

The group allegedly argued before one of the unknown men started swinging a hammer towards the tradie.

Talatau Dal Amone outside Wollongong Courthouse in 2018. Picture: Dylan Robinson

The court documents state the tradie ran and jumped across to a neighbouring two-storey house, however, the man wielding the hammer allegedly went after him, causing the victim to fall backwards off the roof.

The man sustained cuts from the guttering and hit an airconditioning unit as he fell to the ground.

The court documents state the tradie, who has suspected broken wrists and elbows, noticed one of the men entering the backyard of the neighbouring address.

The trio allegedly fled when they heard police sirens in the distance.

The victim was taken to Wollongong Hospital while police established a crime scene at the house.

The case will return to Wollongong Local Court in 2023.

The court documents state police spoke to Amone at his house a short time later, however, he allegedly said he was unaware of what had taken place as he had just returned from a swim.

The incident was allegedly caught on CCTV installed in Amone’s house.

In court on Wednesday, police prosecutor Sergeant Chris Manning characterised the case against Amone as “fairly strong”.

“How can your Honour mitigate risks against an unprovoked attack?” he asked.

Magistrate Gabriel Fleming denied bail citing Amone‘s “lengthy criminal history”.

The case will return to Wollongong Local Court in January.