Magic Car Wash Cranbourne North owner Amanpreet Singh fights customer
It’s the last place you’d expect an all out brawl to erupt, but when this car owner wasn’t happy with the job at a Cranbourne car wash, things bubbled over.
South East
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A customer complaint led to an all out brawl at a Cranbourne car wash, a court has heard.
Magic Car Wash Cranbourne North owner Amanpreet Singh, 32, pleaded guilty in the Dandenong Magistrates’ Court on Monday over the soapy skirmish which saw him damage a client’s car on December 5, 2019.
The court heard Singh was approached by an unsatisfied customer while he was working in the wash bay about 3.40pm.
The customer was unhappy after noticing “large marks” on his car seat following an $85 service, the prosecution said.
Singh ignored the man and continued to clean other cars but the man persisted, leading the father of two to lose his temper.
Singh grabbed a signage bollard and drove it into the man’s car, causing a large dent, before the outraged customer retaliated with a punch to Singh’s face.
Singh then rammed the bollard through the car’s rear passenger window, the court heard.
Singh was hit again as a frenzied scuffle broke out, with the pair eventually cooling off and calling police.
Officers arrested Singh about 6pm before he was taken to Dandenong Hospital where he was treated for a laceration above his eye.
“He punched me, he caused more damage to me because I could have lost my eye,” Singh told police.
Singh’s lawyer Mietta McDonald told the court her client, who has owned the car wash for two and a half years, was now “extremely remorseful”.
She said Singh migrated to Australia from India in 2008 and has no criminal history.
“(The incident) was grossly out of character … he was experiencing financial hardship (at the time), working longer and harder hours to earn a sufficient income to support his family,” Ms McDonald said.
“He’s a family man and contributing member of the community.”
Magistrate Suzette Dootjes noted Singh had participated in an anger management course following the outburst.
“I understand there was a lot of stress for you at the time … but there are ways to deal with that, and that does not include throwing bollards at customer’s cars,” she said.
Singh was placed on a six-month good behaviour bond and was ordered to pay $500 to the court fund.
No conviction was recorded.