Tut Choul Bol in Alice Springs pleads guilty to smashing landlord’s car window, defending puppy

A feud over a puppy between a landlord and a tenant in the Red Centre led to a smashed car window, a mobile phone on the roof and even claims of biting. Latest from court.

Thirty-five-year-year-old Tut Choul Bol leaves the Alice Springs local court on August 20, 2024.

A defence lawyer for a tenant says he only smashed his landlord’s car window after they threatened to place a puppy out in the cold, bit his hand and threw his phone on the roof, a court has heard.

Tut Choul Bol, 35, pleaded guilty in Alice Springs Local Court on August 26 to one count of damaging property.

Defence lawyer Kimberley Hammerton said that on July 27, Bol smashed his landlord’s drivers-side rear car window “in the heat of the moment” after a dispute between the two escalated.

Tut Choul Bol entering the Alice Springs Local Court.

Bol was living in Braitling, Ms Hammerton said, when his landlord arrived at his rental property unannounced and told him to remove a puppy from his room.

“There are a couple of dogs in the house, but (the landlord) wanted this particular dog to be put outside,” she said.

“Mr Bol said no, because it’s a little puppy, it was the middle of winter, and that was the basis of the argument.”

Ms Hammerton then said the argument escalated outside, where the landlord allegedly bit Bol on the hand and threw his phone on the roof.

“Mr Bol still has a scar on his hand from this,” she said.

“(The landlord) gets the phone, throws it on the roof, and it’s in the heat of this moment that Mr Bol has picked up the bottle and thrown it at the car, and the window’s smashed.

“He admits it was the wrong thing to do.”

The landlord has not been charged with any wrongdoing.

Ms Hammerton pushed for a non-conviction.

Judge David Bamber adjourned the case to August 30 for sentencing.