A “SHORT-tempered” Tamworth man has escaped a conviction after smashing a window at his doctor’s surgery when he was forced to wait.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Harrison John Kelly pleaded guilty to malicious damage after punching the glass door when he visited the Marius St surgery for an appointment with a doctor earlier this year.
Solicitor Richard O’Halloran said things had got too much for his client on June 17 when the incident unfolded.
“He has some anger-management issues,” he told Tamworth Local Court on Monday.
“Things got out of control for him.”
According to the police facts, Kelly was heard in the surgery to say “this is f*****, I’m getting out of here.”
Staff told police the 19-year-old then punched the glass door and “the force of the punch caused the glass to shatter”.
Police were called and obtained photos of the damage before they confronted Kelly about the allegations.
In the facts of the case, Kelly told officers: “I was frustrated due to the interruptions. I attempted to leave the medical centre. I forcefully pushed one of the doors but it was locked. The glass shattered.”
“So he didn’t want to wait for the doctor, is that right?” Magistrate Michael Holmes asked.
Mr O’Halloran said his client had expressed contrition and was “deeply embarrassed”, tendering medical evidence and an apology letter as part of his submissions.
The court heard the talented cricketer, who had represented Australia in junior cricket, had been forced to give up the sport this year.
“How long were you waiting for?” Mr Holmes asked.
“Only about 20 minutes,” Kelly said.
Kelly told the court he had been ignored by staff, which had inflamed the situation.
“You can’t justify what you did,” Mr Holmes said.
Kelly was not convicted of the offence, but placed on a 12-month good-behaviour bond and ordered to pay $550 in compensation to repair the glass window.