Mislaam Lewis Barsah assaulted man with golf club at Parkhurst caravan park

Judge Jeff Clarke described the fight at the “lively” caravan park which kept the courts busy as being a “petty dispute”.

Mislaam Lewis Barsah, 27, pleaded guilty in Rockhampton District Court on September 21 to one count of assault occasioning bodily harm in relation to the caravan park fight.

Two men armed with a shovel, a golf club and a concrete block had a fight in a Rockhampton caravan park over a “petty dispute” which left one with chest wall and facial wounds and the other bruised and battered, a court heard.

One of the men, Mislaam Lewis Barsah, has lost his girlfriend, home, job and belongings in the aftermath of the fight at Parkhurst Caravan Park on November 23, 2022.

The convicted violent offender, who was sentenced in 2021 for choking a partner, has since recognised his anger management issues and turned his mind and hands to a more calming and satisfying hobby of creating Indigenous art, according to his defence barrister Julie Marsden.

Barsah, 27, pleaded guilty in Rockhampton District Court on September 21 to one count of assault occasioning bodily harm in relation to the caravan park fight.

Barsah had been staying at the park with his partner at the time, Chantal, who had a son diagnosed with autism.

The victim, a 42 year old man who had been staying at the park with his wife, had spotted the child about to enter the female bathroom facilities at the caravan park and chastised the child.

Crown prosecutor Ryan Godfrey said prior to this, there had been an incident between the 42 year old and Chantal, resulting in the man being charged.

He said Chantal, upset at the man for chastising her son, followed him into the shower block and confronted him.

Mr Godfrey said after yelling at the man, she left and returned with Barsah, who was armed.

The pair kicked the shower door, leaving a dent, and the victim told them he was armed so the pair left.

Mr Godfrey said Barsah walk towards the victim’s car, asking the victim’s wife if it was hers.

He said the woman lied and told Barsah the car belonged to her husband’s boss.

Barsah then smashed a window of the vehicle with the golf club he was holding.

Barsah and the victim, who had just finished his shower, ran at each other.

Barsah hit the man with the golf club, which had snapped at this stage, with the man responding with punches.

At some point, the golf club penetrated the victim’s chest and he retreated, but returned armed with a shovel.

Barsah then picked up a concrete block and threw it at the victim, missing him.

The pair continued attacking each other with the weapons and fists, until the victim fled.

The victim spent two days in hospital where he was treated for a three centimetre wide and four centimetre deep superficial chest wall wound.

He spent the next two months repacking the wound.

Police located and arrested Barsah two days later.

Judge Jeff Clarke described the fight at the “lively” caravan park which kept the courts busy as a “petty dispute”.

Ms Marsden said her client, who had a disadvantaged childhood, was working as a cleaner at the caravan park at the time.

She said Barsah lost his job, his relationship with Chantal, and his belongings as his family failed to pick them up for him.

Ms Marsden said Barsah, who had used marijuana and methamphetamines in the past, had stopped using meth before this incident.

She said he had done arts courses in prison and wanted to send his two children, with whom he has no contact with, some of his artworks through his grandmother who raised him.

Judge Clarke encouraged Barsah to continue with his artworks and sentenced him to 18 months prison, cumulative on his two-year prison term sentence for the choking conviction, declared 44 days presentence custody as time served and set parole eligibility on October 6, 2023.

Originally published as Mislaam Lewis Barsah assaulted man with golf club at Parkhurst caravan park