A WHITE Hills man who punched a 66-year-old man to the mouth in a road rage attack has narrowly avoided jail.
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Masina Maele, 22, pleaded guilty in the Bendigo Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday to charges of careless driving and intentionally causing injury.
The victim – a farmer from Dingee – was driving along Napier Street in White Hills with Maele behind about 4.30pm on January 8.
The court heard Maele became frustrated with the victim driving at 50 kilometres per hour in a 60 zone.
Maele suddenly accelerated and collided with the back of the victim’s vehicle. Both drivers turned into Cambridge Crescent, pulled over and exited their vehicles.
The victim asked Maele “what’s going on?” and Maele told him he was driving “too slow”. Maele then punched the victim to the mouth, causing him to fall to the ground.
Maele drove away, while a witness took down his registration plate.
The victim suffered a cut lip and his dentures were broken, costing $1740.
Police attended Maele’s White Hills residence a few hours later and arrested him after “some negotiation”.
In the police interview, Maele said he attacked the victim because he was driving too slow, and said “I just hope he doesn’t do it again, that’s all”.
A victim impact statement was read to the court, outlining the victim’s need to constantly check his rear vision mirror while driving, his fear of confrontation, and his assertion that he would not leave his vehicle if he was in another accident.
The victim also said he was forced to make nine trips to Bendigo from Dingee for medical treatment and had driven at least 1000 kilometres as a result. His daughter lives near the scene of the attack and he is required to drive past the area often.
Defence counsel Kate Youngson said Maele’s actions were “clearly disgraceful” and a letter of apology was tendered to the victim.
Ms Youngson described the attack as “out of character”.
Police prosecutors suggested a jail term was within range, given the nature of the “coward’s punch”.
Magistrate Greg McNamara said it was a “serious assault”.
“This man was just going about his day when he was punched in the face,” he said.
“He’s been severely affected by this.”
Maele was convicted and placed on a 12-month community corrections order, with 150 hours of unpaid community work. He was also ordered to pay $1740 to cover the costs of the broken dentures.