Jack Maher: Blind man, guide dog attacker sentenced at Parramatta Local Court
He went on a crime rampage that included assaulting a blind man and kicking his guide dog on western Sydney train but the victim has expressed sympathy for his attacker.
Parramatta
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Wannabe rapper Jack Maher — who went on a crime rampage that included attacking a blind man and his guide dog on a train near Seven Hills — will be behind bars for three years after he was sentenced at Parramatta Local Court.
The Port Macquarie man pleaded guilty after sexually touching an 18-year-old woman at Parramatta train station and assaulting 61-year-old blind man David Gearin and kicking his labrador, Odin, while they sat on a train approaching Seven Hills on May 28.
Maher, whose Facebook’s account features videos of him rapping, said he assaulted Mr Gearin because he thought was an undercover cop and his companion was a drug detection dog.
Police facts tendered to Parramatta Local Court stated Maher, 24, said “you deserve my germs, you low-life dog’’ before spitting on him, punching him in the head several times and kicking Odin when they sat in the designated disabled space.
During his arrest at Blacktown train station, Maher threatened to kill police: “I swear you’re going to die, I am going to rape you … and stick my dick in your arse, you c***’’
He told a court that he was in Sydney for a break because his “missus’’ suffered two miscarriages and his head wasn’t right.
On Friday, Magistrate Erin Kennedy sentenced him to three years in jail for sexually touching a person without consent, common assault and animal cruelty, and a month for having custody of a knife in a public place.
He was also convicted of possessing a prohibited drug but no sentence was imposed.
After the sentencing, Mr Gearin expressed sympathy for Maher.
“The whole thing was a very unfortunate thing to happen — it’s terrible that he’s found himself at that place in his life where he’s behaving in that way.
“His behaviour was certainly not acceptable but it’s sad someone got to that point. He was obviously involved in substance abuse.’’
Mr Gearin, of Windsor, said his beloved Odin was still nervous when a stranger approached him.
“He had his trust in people breached,” he said. “There’s never a good reason to kick a dog, especially a dog like Odin who’s a very placid dog.’’