Nicholas Villaneuva: Jordan Springs man sentenced over Cargo Bar assault
A former western Sydney council worker who aspires to be a police officer has faced court for choking and pushing a woman at a popular Sydney nightclub, resulting in his suspension from the police academy.
Penrith
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An aspiring police officer choked and pushed a woman following a dance floor argument at a popular Sydney nightclub, a court has heard.
On Tuesday, Jordan Springs man Nicholas Villaneuva, 29, pleaded guilty to two counts of common assault at Downing Centre Local Court.
Agreed police facts tendered to the court lay out how a night out at Cargo Bar near Sydney’s King St Wharf on April 21 ended in the 29-year-old’s arrest.
Villaneuva got on a chartered party bus from Penrith to the city with a group of people who mostly all knew each other because they were fellow employees, a court heard.
“(At Cargo Bar) … the victim was on the dance floor dancing with a number of other male friends when Villaneuva walked up to her and grabbed her around the throat,” court documents state.
“The victim reacted in pain and said ‘that hurt, I told you not to do that‘ to which (Villaneuva) responded ‘you will do as you’re told’.”
About 1am, when the victim and Villaneuva were travelling back to Penrith on the party bus, the 29-year-old “violently pushed” her in the stomach.
“The victim fell backwards and clutched at her stomach … (she) was asked if she was okay, and replied ‘I don’t know. I can’t breathe properly’,” the police facts state.
Witnesses reported Villaneuva to police and he was arrested on April 22.
Villaneuva’s defence lawyer said his client previously worked at Penrith City Council and had joined the police academy.
The court heard Villaneuva’s “career is in jeopardy” and he was suspended from the academy in April.
The defence also told the court Villaneuva has no record of committing similar assaults and was unlikely to reoffend.
But Magistrate Rebecca Hosking said it was a violent assault which required a conviction.
“The arrogance and the need to control overtook your understanding of the consequences,” Ms Hosking said.
She convicted Villaneuva, fined him $1100 and sentenced him to a 12-month community corrections order (CCO).
Villaneuva has lodged a notice of his intention to appeal the sentence.
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