Ali Haidary: Guildford man sentenced for road rage attack

A teenager who jumped out of his car to violently punch, grab, and throw a man in an act of road rage has learnt his fate in court.

Ali Riza Haidary (left) leaving Fairfield Local Court on October 24, 2022. Haidary was convicted of common assault after a road rage incident where he punched someone who brake checked him, causing an accident. Picture: Paul Brescia

A 19-year-old barista who pulled a man out of a car before punching him in a “significant” road rage attack has been sentenced in court.

Ali Riza Haidary, of Guildford, pleaded guilty to assault, with a second charge of assault causing actual bodily harm withdrawn at Fairfield Local Court on Monday.

Agreed facts tendered to the court reveal Haidary was driving a Toyota Corolla along Guildford Rd about 5:30pm on April 4 when he saw a gold Holden VT Commodore next to him, swerving in and out of its lane.

Haidary yelled out to the man driving the Commodore to stop, leading to the man driving in front of the teenager’s Corolla, before both cars turned left onto Oxford St.

The Commodore driver then slammed on his brakes and Haidary couldn’t break fast enough to stop, leading to a small accident with no damage to either car.

Haidary then jumped out of his Corolla and ran over to the Commodore, punching the man in the face before grabbing his shirt with two hands and slamming him onto the bonnet.

Ali Riza Haidary leaving Fairfield Local Court on October 24, 2022. Picture: Paul Brescia

The teenager grabbed the victim by the throat and threw him on the ground before the Commodore driver escaped, snapping a photo of the Guildford teen’s number plates.

The court heard the victim did not sustain any serious injuries, though Haidary was left with a fracture in his fist.

When police arrived to question Haidary, he told them the other man hit his car and threw the first punch.

Haidary’s lawyer submitted to the court his client had previously worked as a barista, had come from a disadvantaged background, and had written an apology letter.

Magistrate James Gibson told the court the facts represented a high level of violence, while acknowledging Haidary’s past struggles as a refugee who had lived in an intermediary country before coming to Australia.

“Your lawyer says this is a clear aberration on your behalf,” Mr Gibson said. “The difficulty was that you got out of the vehicle, punched the victim in the face not only once, but a second time, grabbed him by the shirt, threw him on the bonnet of your vehicle and threw him on the ground.”

Haidary was convicted of assault, and given a nine-month community corrections order.