Hessein Salah, Ali Salim admit to attacking driver in Carlton Covid line

Two mates have admitted to a brazen and violent attack on a driver waiting in a Covid testing line where he was punched and stomped through his sunroof. WATCH THE CCTV FOOTAGE.

Shocking footage shows the moment two mates violently attacked a driver waiting in a Carlton Covid testing line where he was punched and stomped on through his sunroof.

Hussein Saleh, 34, and Ali Salim, 35, pleaded guilty in Sutherland Local Court on Tuesday to assault occasioning actual bodily harm and common assault.

Saleh also pleaded guilty to damaging property.

Agreed facts tendered to court said a male driver and his female passenger were waiting in a Covid drive-through testing line for more than three hours before 10am on December 28, 2021.

At the time, drivers experienced huge wait times due to testing requirements to travel over the busy holiday period.

Hessein Salah got onto the roof of a car and punched and stomped on the driver in a violent road rage attack. Picture: Supplied

The court heard that as the Prado approached an intersection, Saleh’s wife - who wasn’t charged with any wrongdoing - in a white Lexus cut the line in front of him.

The driver and passenger got out of the car and approached the Lexus before they returned and beeped the horn repeatedly to try to make her leave.

The court heard Saleh’s wife called him and a short time later, the mates since high school arrived in a white truck and stopped it next to the Prado.

They exited and Saleh attempted to smash the driver’s window with a screwdriver.

Saleh broke the driver’s side mirror and Salim got into the back seat and punched the driver in the head, causing bruising and pain.

Saleh climbed onto the car and punched the driver in the head through the sunroof before he stood inside it and stomped his foot, hitting the driver and the passenger.

During the attack, the driver’s car rolled forward and collided with Saleh’s wife’s Lexus.

Hussein Saleh (left) and Ali Salim (right), who live in Bardwell Valley and Turrella respectively, pictured with lawyer Michael Ayache (behind) pleaded guilty in Sutherland Local Court on Tuesday to attacking two people in a car. Picture: Ashleigh Tullis

The mates left the vehicle and police arrived a short time later and everyone was told to leave before officers reviewed the CCTV footage.

In court, police prosecutor Sergeant James Glissan said the men’s conduct was “vigilantism” where they “took matters into their own hands” in a “violent incident” that risked other drivers’ safety.

Defence lawyer for both men Michael Ayache said Saleh became “enraged” and rushed to the scene after his wife called him screaming in terror while his mother was also in the car.

The driver sustained red marks and bruising from the attack. Picture: Ashleigh Tullis

“His instinct was to protect his family and that took him so far that he really lost sight of what he should have done,” Mr Ayache said.

He noted the pandemic had caused everyone stress, including the driver who perceived Saleh’s wife to “push into the line”.

“Even if she did do the wrong thing, those actions of the driver and woman were unlawful where they banged on her window to intimidate two women,” Mr Ayache said.

He submitted his client made a “very poor decision to overreact”, it was an isolated incident and the driver had no ongoing injuries.

Mr Ayache said his clients were remorseful and neither had a criminal record.

The court heard Salim and Saleh worked together and Salim went to “back up his mate”.

Magistrate Hugh Donnelly adjourned the case for his sentence on March 28.