Overseas visitor punches cop after high-range scooter crash
A magistrate has scolded an overseas student and worker describing his actions as “unacceptable in your country and unacceptable in this country where you are a guest.”
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A student who crashed a scooter into a parked van before punching a police officer in the face has been scolded by a magistrate for his drunken and “unacceptable” night out in Coogee.
Guillermo Maximo Garcia Pinto, 29, who resides in Bondi, fronted Waverley Local Court this week with a Spanish interpreter and was sentenced over the January 12 incident.
“Your behaviour on this day was completely unacceptable,” Magistrate Allison Hawkins said.
“You put people in danger including yourself and then assaulted the person who came to help you.
“It is unacceptable in your country and unacceptable in this country where you are a guest.”
About midnight on January 12, Garcia Pinto was riding an Assassin USA electric scooter along Bream St, Coogee despite the scooter not being registered to be used on the road.
He was drunk and crashed the stand-up scooter into a parked van, resulting in him falling onto the road and hitting his head.
Witnesses called emergency services but he declined treatment from paramedics.
The agreed facts stated when police arrived he was uncooperative and aggressive with police and tried to push past an officer to leave the scene.
The officer pushed him in the chest and told him to stay where he was.
“The accused then threw his right hand in a jabbing movement toward (the police officer) connecting with the right side of his jaw causing immediate pain,” the agreed facts stated.
He was handcuffed and taken to Maroubra Police Station where he returned a breath analysis of 0.161 – putting him in the high-range of drink driving.
On Wednesday, he was sentenced for six offences including high-range drink driving, assault officer and never licensed person drive vehicle on road.
He was convicted on all charges and sentenced to a term of imprisonment of nine months to be served by way of intensive correction in the community.
As part of his conditions he must abstain from alcohol during that time.
He was also given a community correction order for a period of 18 months and fined $880.
Garcia Pinto told the court he was riding home from a party that night.
He said he lost balance on his scooter which he described as a child’s electric scooter.
“Where I live is a very short distance and it was my mistake,” he said.
“That day I was having a party with friends. I really did not think through things very well.”
He said he was wearing a bike helmet and he wanted to apologise for the drunken incident.
“I have never experienced a situation like this I am really ashamed. I really respect the police a lot.”
Garcia Pinto said he was studying and working in Australia.