Joao Vitor sentenced in court for assault on girlfriend outside Spirit of Newtown bar

A Brazilian man has been scolded by a Sydney magistrate for his “totally unacceptable” assault on his girlfriend outside an inner west cocktail bar with the judicial officer stating it is not acceptable in Australia or back in his home country.

Joao Vitor assaulted his girlfriend outside the Spirit of Newtown cocktail bar. Picture: Google Maps

A Brazilian man had a dispute with his girlfriend outside an Sydney cocktail bar where he put her in a headlock, a court has heard.

Joao Lamos Gomes Vitor, 22, pleaded guilty in Newtown Local Court on Tuesday after pleading guilty to common assault.

The court heard CCTV outside the inner west venue Spirit of Newtown captured the incident on the evening of November 24, 2024.

Vitor, who was living in Kogarah at the time, assaulted his Portuguese girlfriend after they had an argument about evening plans with the victim wanting to go home while the offender wanted to go to a house party.

The court heard Vitor followed the woman out of the venue before putting her in a headlock, pulling her hair and attempting to prevent her from walking away.

Joao Vitor tried to prevent his girlfriend from leaving.

The victim punched the Vitor three times as she attempted to get away.

Bystanders from the premises called the police and when they arrived they found Vitor in an intoxicated state.

In court, Vitor, speaking through a translator, said he was “sorry”, “wished to go back to Brazil” and downplayed the scenario as a “misunderstanding”.

Magistrate Alexander Mijovich scolded: “You’ve got to be kidding me.”

“You’ve put your partner in a headlock in a public street.”

The magistrate went on to say the conduct was “totally unacceptable, here and in Brazil” before convicting Vitor and fining him $1500.