Man sentenced for ‘cold blooded’ road rage attack in Frenchs Forest
A MAN who unleashed a sickening attack on a 63-year-old man — which included close to 20 punches — in Frenchs Forest, on Sydney’s northern beaches, was handed down a sentence on Wednesday that will see him avoid jail time.
Manly
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- 63-year-old road rage victim forgives his attacker
- Road rage attacker Chances Moana a no-show at court
A MAN convicted of a “cold blooded and vicious” road rage attack on Sydney’s northern beaches has been sentenced to serve an 18-month custodial sentence — inside his own home.
Despite unleashing close to 20 punches on a 63-year-old man sitting behind the wheel of his car stopped at traffic lights, Chances Moana will not have to spend time in jail.
Moana, 20, from the Central Coast, was in Manly Local Court on Wednesday to be sentenced for the May 11 assault on Andrew Nerlich along Forest Way at Frenchs Forest.
During the sentencing hearing, police urged Magistrate Christopher Longley to jail Moana to deter others from committing road rage offences.
Mr Longley said while Moana had “brutalised” his victim, he was entitled to be considered for home detention, as part of an Intensive Corrections Order, due to his lack of a police record and his guilty plea.
The Manly Daily first broke the news of the Berkeley Vale labourer’s flurry of punches on Mr Nerlich that was captured on the dashcam of a B-double truck.
Shocking footage, taken at the intersection of Forest Way and Adams St, showed Moana opening the door of a Hyundai and throwing a punch at the driver.
Just before the attack the cars were involved in a minor collision while merging lanes.
Mr Nerlich, a retiree and a martial arts instructor at a Manly gym, “blacked out” from Moana’s initial blow.
His left foot then slipped off the brake pedal and the car rolled forward into Moana’s ute, slowly pushing it towards the intersection.
Moana then opened the victim’s door again before throwing multiple punches to Mr Nerlich’s head. He was left bleeding from an ear, his nose and a badly cut lip.
Moana admitted to the assault after turning himself in to police at Wyong the day after the attack.
Then, several days later, Moana suffered massive injuries, including a punctured lung and ruptured spleen, after falling from his motorcycle on the Central Coast.
In August Moana was originally sentenced by Magistrate Christopher Longley to 18-months in jail on two counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm. But he was immediately granted bail so that he could be assessed by prison authorities for home detention instead.
During Wednesday’s sentencing hearing police prosecutor John Sharpin urged Mr Longley to send Moana to jail.
Sgt Sharpin said the high level of media coverage of the case highlighted the “community disgust” at the assaults.
“(It) was cold blooded and vicious violence.
“This attack amounted to a significant risk to public safety.”
Moana’s solicitor Brad Kernick told the court that his client was remorseful, had showed contrition for the attack and had apologised in person to Mr Nerlich.
Mr Kernick said Moana was also “embarrassed for his family and friends” and was now undergoing an anger management course.
He will not be allowed to leave the house except for approved activities such as employment and education, grocery shopping and medical appointments. Moana will have to wear an electronic monitoring bracelet around his ankle that can be tracked by prison authorities using GPS technology.
Moana, who lives with his parents, is not able to work for at least 12 months as he recovers from his injuries.