Stephen Klugman: Eastern suburbs anaesthetist in boat barney

An anaesthetist from Sydney’s east has dished out a blunt form of treatment after knocking a man unconscious following an argument over where he could park his boat.

An anaesthetist from Sydney’s eastern suburbs has dished out a blunt form of treatment after knocking a man unconscious by punching him in the face following a row over where he could park his boat.

Dr Stephen Klugman, 61 — who earns $10-15,000 a week and is director of a charity called Smile For Me — faced Waverley Local Court on Tuesday after pleading guilty to common assault and assault occasioning actual bodily harm over the January 2022 incident.

The court heard marketing worker Matt Petersen, 64, was standing on his Randwick street when he asked Klugman to not park his boat on the road nearby as residents previously had issues with people parking vessels in the area.

Stephen Klugman outside Waverley Local Court on Tuesday.

Matt Petersen also pictured outside court.

Magistrate Ross Hudson told the court Klugman said: “F**k you, you don’t own the street” before setting upon Mr Petersen and another man as witnesses watched on.

The court was told a “fixated” and “enraged” Klugman punched Mr Petersen in the face, causing him to fall backwards onto the back of his head on asphalt and lose consciousness.

The other victim tried to stop Klugman and was also punched during the struggle.

Mr Petersen receiving treatment in hospital.

A supplied image of Matt Petersen following the incident.

Klugman’s legal team asked Mr Hudson to have their client’s charges dealt with on mental health grounds in what is called a section 14 application.

The court heard Klugman — a father of four — has suffered mental health issues after he and his wife were both diagnosed with different cancers.

But police prosecutor Maja Obirek said she “strongly opposed” Klugman’s section 14 application and argued the attack was unprovoked.

“It is extremely serious, there are assaults on two victims unknown to (Klugman),” Ms Obirek said.

Mr Hudson read material into Klugman’s mental state and ultimately decided to refuse his section 14 application.

The magistrate told the court Klugman’s matter was “subjectively serious”.

Vehicles parked along Bundock Street in Randwick. Picture: Richard Dobson

Trailers and other vehicles left in the unrestricted parking zone. Picture: Richard Dobson

Outside court, Mr Petersen told The Daily Telegraph the attack has had long-term health impacts on him, including him losing his sense of taste and smell.

He also suffered a fractured skull.

“It’s shocking because it’s in my own street, it was in a nice suburb, the guy is a total stranger, it’s really affected me mentally as well as physically,” Mr Petersen.

“I was unconscious for five minutes apparently, luckily one of my sisters is a nurse.

“I was in hospital for 24 hours, fractured skull and three brain bleeds.”

According to a police fact sheet, Klugman makes between $10-15,000 a week and owns his own practice.

The court heard he is a director of the company Smile For Me.

On its website Klugman wrote: “Having grown up in Zimbabwe (and) South Africa, I have always had a compassion for the underprivileged living in third world countries.”

Mr Hudson will sentence Klugman on May 10.