Father twice attacked man at Carrum Downs police station over threats to kill son
A father has visited a Carrum Downs police station to see his son in custody, only to break a man’s jaw and smash his teeth in the carpark. Here’s why his lawyer reckons it was the action of a “normal, ordinary” person under pressure.
South East
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A father who twice bashed a man at a police station because he threatened to kill his son has been blasted by a magistrate for taking the law into his own hands.
The dad gave the victim a broken jaw and several busted teeth in the Valentines’ Day clash in the Carrum Downs cop shop car park.
The fighting started again inside the station, with the brawling pair scattering shocked members of the public, until police officers managed to intervene.
Thomas Robinson pleaded guilty to assaulting the man – who also faces charges over the incident – at Frankston Magistrates’ Court yesterday.
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The court heard Robinson went to the Carrum Downs police complex to see his son, who was in custody at the time, about 4.40pm on February 14.
In the carpark the victim walked up to Robinson, whom he knew, and a verbal dispute ensued.
Robinson, who had never met the other man, grabbed him by the throat and punched him repeatedly until he fell to the ground. He then walked inside the station.
But the victim got up and followed, and started remonstrating with Robinson, pushing his head towards his.
The pharmaceutical warehouse worker then punched the victim and the pair wrestled until they were separated by officers.
The victim was attended to by paramedics before being taken to The Alfred where he was treated for a broken jaw and several broken teeth.
Robinson told officers the victim had threatened to kill his son and he had retaliated as he “kept firing me up”.
In court his defence lawyer said Robinson, a 51-year-old father of two, had simply gone to the station to see his son and had “just reacted” when he was confronted by a man he didn’t know who was threatening to kill his son.
He said the “behaviour of the victim set this in motion” and Robinson’s actions were of a “normal, ordinary” person under pressure, but he now accepted he should have just walked away.
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Magistrate Dominic Lennon rejected the suggestion that a “normal, ordinary” person would react that way.
“There was no immediate risk to his son, there was no chance the threats could be carried out,” Mr Lennon said.
“It is of relevance to note this is at the police station, surrounded by police officers.
“He takes the law into his own hands and exacts summary punishment on the victim with drastic consequences.”
Robinson was sent to be assessed for a community corrections order.