Man sentenced for assaulting stepson on way to church
A man who punched his stepson on two occasions, including once while driving to church, has been sentenced.
Penrith
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A man who punched his stepson in the head and the back on the way to church — and again at home a few hours later — has learned his fate.
The man, who can’t be identified for legal reasons, appeared before Magistrate Brian van Zuylen at Penrith Local Court charged with two counts of common assault and contravening an apprehended violence order.
He was sentenced to a 12-month intensive corrections order for each charge.
According to court documents, the man was first charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm following an incident in Colyton in April last year.
The man, a Samoan, struck his stepson six times — three times with his fist and three slaps — after an argument about why he hadn’t told anyone in the family where he’d gone that weekend.
The stepfather was arrested, and made a full admission to the assault during questioning with a Samoan interpreter at Mt Druitt police station.
He was sentenced to a community corrections order, and an AVO was taken out on behalf of the stepson.
Court documents say the man was driving the same stepson to church on April 6 when he told his stepson to move into the back of the van.
As the victim moved, the man started punching him in the head and back with both fists.
About two hours later, the man told his stepson to come and sit next to him in the lounge room, an instruction the stepson obeyed as he “believed he would receive an apology”.
Once the stepson had sat down, the man started swearing at him, ripped his shirt, and punched him in the eye.
Police arrested the man at about 12.30am on April 7, but he was not interviewed as there was no Samoan interpreter available.
The man’s lawyer said he had intended to discipline his stepson for being “disrespectful”, and thought he was doing the right thing.
He also said the behaviour came about due to “cultural beliefs” and that the victim had admitted to being disrespectful.
Magistrate van Zuylen said the man had “let his pastor down”.
“Your pastor described you as a hardworking, fun-loving family man and said you were very regretful after your first assault,” he said.
“You’ve let your pastor down by committing the same offence – how disrespectful is that?
“You say you’re sorry again, and you’ve promised to change, but why should the court believe you?
“You may have difficulties with your stepson, but it certainly doesn’t justify punching him in the head.”