Former AFL player Peter Yama Labi, 30, pleaded guilty to common assault
A former AFL player who was screaming at his partner in the street assaulted a good Samaritan who tried to help, a court has heard.
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A former AFL player who was screaming at his partner in the street assaulted a good Samaritan who tried to help, a court has heard.
Peter Yama Labi, 30, pleaded guilty to one count of common assault in Cairns District Court on Wednesday.
Labi came to Australia from Papua New Guinea around 2006 and was recruited by Carlton on a scholarship when he was 17 after playing in Queensland AFL.
Crown prosecutor Lauren Hall detailed the female complainant experiencing symptoms of concussion and lingering headache for two weeks after the incident on November 14, 2020 in Abbott Street.
“On a night out in Cairns the complainant found a female crying in the gutter, after having a fight with her boyfriend, the defendant,” Ms Hall said.
“The complainant arranged an Uber for her and waited with her. The defendant aggressively approached them yelling and swearing.
“He pushed a finger to the complainant’s forehead, and yelled words to the effect of ‘what the f are you doing with my Mrs’ and ‘she doesn’t need your help’ before ushering his girlfriend away.
“Due to the aggressive nature, the complainant went to grab the girlfriend to see if that was what she wanted. At that time the defendant spun around in his outreach and struck the complainant causing her to lose balance, she fell back and hit a pole.”
Defence barrister Martin Longhurst said his client offered compensation to the complainant at an early stage.
“He has a claim lodged for an injury to his hand which should provide him with the financial capacity,” Mr Longhurst said.
The court heard Labi also had work lined up.
Judge Anthony Rafter SC said he accepted the strike was not intentional but he was being sentenced for being reckless.
No conviction was recorded and Judge Rafter ordered Labi to pay a $1000 fine within three months and $500 in compensation to the complainant within one month.
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Originally published as Former AFL player Peter Yama Labi, 30, pleaded guilty to common assault
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