Merrylands: Old man fined $500 for punching man, 81, at bus stop
This short-fused pensioner was filmed punching his 81-year-old victim at Merrylands.
Parramatta
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A short-fused pensioner who punched his 81-year-old victim after telling him to f*** off for inquiring about a bus schedule was fined $500 and told by a magistrate to “go back to the playground”.
Erone Kitione, 80, started swearing at the victim and told him to “go have a look” for himself when he was approached at a bus stop at McFarlane St, Merrylands, on October 11.
Court documents said Kitione kept shouting at him to “f*** off” when he asked why he had grown angry.
He then walked towards the victim and said “I’m gonna hit you” before he started swinging closed fists at his face.
The victim started walking backwards to avoid the attacker but was punched three times in a carpark, striking the man on his chin, chest and left eye.
The blows caused him to bruise before he fell backwards on to concrete.
At Parramatta Local Court on Tuesday, Magistrate Robyn Denes implored Kitione, who pleaded guilty to the common assault charge, to stop attacking people.
“Have you ever heard the saying turn the other cheek, turn the other way?” she said.
“You hit him and he fell over and hurt his head on the concrete. You know that can kill someone?”
Ms Denes ordered the Merrylands man to pay a $500 fine and said there was no self defence argument despite Kitione trying to convince her that he was provoked.
“ … You could have just walked away, left him alone,’’ she said.
“He was older than you.
“Really? What are you doing hitting people at 80? You’re a pretty strong 80-year-old.
“Two of you need to go back to the playground in the school.”
Court documents said Kitione was charged with common assault in 2012 but Ms Denes said his age and otherwise unblemished record warranted the fine.