Engadine: Labourer Grahame Takau-Terepo sentenced to two years jail for KFC bathroom attack

A labourer king hit a colleague he had only known for three days when he ambushed him in the bathroom of a southern Sydney KFC while on the job, a court has heard.

Court documents state the attack took place at the Engadine KFC on November 22, 2023. Picture: Supplied

A labourer “king hit” a colleague he had only known for three days when he ambushed him in the bathroom of a southern Sydney KFC, a court has heard.

Grahame Takau-Terepo, 22, was handcuffed and taken into custody over the attack when he fronted Sutherland Local Court on Tuesday for sentencing.

Takau-Terepo, of Liverpool, previously pleaded not guilty to causing reckless grievous bodily harm but decided to change his plea to guilty in a final bid for freedom.

Court documents state Takau-Terepo attacked the victim, after knowing him for just three days, while they were working together on a contracted landscaping job.

He followed the victim into the Engadine KFC bathroom about 2pm on November 22, 2023.

While the victim was washing his hands, the court heard Takau-Terepo “king hit” him from behind and continued to punch and kick after the victim fell to the bathroom floor.

The court heard the victim had ongoing fears of being enclosed in small spaces after the bathroom ambush. Picture: Supplied

The court heard Takau-Terepo attacked the victim for making “disrespectful comments” about his aunty – who was involved in organising the labouring job – and the victim asked “why did you king hit me?”

In court on Tuesday, Takau-Terepo’s lawyer Heidi Haddad requested her client be kept out of prison to serve his sentence in the community.

She submitted her client was provoked and now felt genuine remorse and regret for his actions.

However, police prosecutor Sean Mullen submitted no other penalty was appropriate for Takau-Terepo other than full-time custody.

“This is a young man who has to take account for his actions,” Mr Mullen said.

Magistrate Hugh Donnelly considered the victim’s ongoing health issues which included surgery to have steel plates and screws installed in his fractured jaw, and fears of being confined in small spaces with his back turned.

Takau-Terepo was sentenced to two years imprisonment. Picture: Supplied

“I can’t ignore the objective seriousness of the crime … some form of imprisonment has to be imposed,” Mr Donnelly said.

Just before his sentence was handed down, Takau-Terepo threw his phone across the courtroom to his girlfriend before he held up two fingers behind his back to signal he would be getting two years in prison for the crime.

Mr Kemp sentenced Takau-Terepo to two years full-time imprisonment with a non-parole period of 16 months. He will be eligible for release in January 2026.

As he was led from the courtroom by police he said to his crying girlfriend, “I’ll call you soon, your (phone) numbers (written) on my arm”.