DRINKS at a Petra Avenue block of units have turned sour when a man allegedly slapped a woman on the butt.
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Nicholas Bridge was found guilty of assault occasioning actual bodily harm in Tamworth Local Court on Monday, after he punched a man in the head for allegedly slapping his partner on the buttocks.
The 24-year-old had worked hard to turn his life around, defence solicitor Wendy McAuliffe said.
"These offences occurred when he was in the transition to making better life decisions and learning to resolve issues in a way that doesn't involve violence," she said.
Bridge was having drinks with some mates at his unit on November 3, 2017 when the victim arrived heavily intoxicated at about 9pm.
In the early hours of the next morning, Bridge was in the car park with his friends and other residents of the unit block when the victim walked past Bridge's partner.
It's alleged he whispered something in her ear that made her uneasy and when she went to walk away, he slapped her in a sexual manner on the buttocks.
Without hesitation Bridge ran straight at the victim, jumped up on a permanent metal seat in the garden and launched himself off it ready to strike with his arm pulled back and hand clenched.
The victim was punched so hard in the left side of the head that he hit his head on a nearby brick wall and fell to the ground. The couple later took him inside and administered first aid.
It was lucky more significant damage was not done to the victim in the incident, Magistrate Julie Soars said.
"This could have ended up so much worse because the victim struck his head on a brick wall," she said.
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"He could have been killed in one punch.
"Sir you have a limited record as an adult so do your best, things upset people in the community and they take it into their own hands and act illegally.
"Put it behind you and I hope to not see you again."
Bridge was convicted and fined $400.