MISPLACED washing powder was the spark that lit the fuse on a man's short temper, a court has heard, after he assaulted someone while at a laundromat.
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Timothy Murray, 25, of Bant Street, South Bathurst was sentenced in Bathurst Local Court on September 6, 2023 after he pleaded guilty to a charge of common assault.
A "highly agitated" Murray and the victim went to a laundromat on William Street in Bathurst about 12.30pm on June 24, 2023 to do washing, court documents said.
It was only a few minutes later when Murray grabbed the victim by their shoulders and yelled for them to "listen".
Murray then punched the person on their wrist, while he pushed himself up against a glass door and cracked it.
After the victim called police, Murray dialled triple-zero and said "I snapped at [person] and want to report my side of the story".
Later that afternoon, police went to Murray's home on Bant Street, where he admitted to the assault.
While in custody at Bathurst Police Station, Murray told police he had forgotten his washing powder, which was the start of the incident.
Sentence
Legal Aid solicitor Keith Kuan told the court his client had a "compromised" moral culpability due to health issues, which had ultimately influenced his behaviour.
Mr Kuan - who noted in open court this was Murray's first criminal matter - then asked the court to consider dealing with his client by way of a conditional release order (CRO) without conviction.
"As a young man with nothing on his record, a conviction would impact any future prospects," Mr Kuan said.
In handing down her sentence, Magistrate Elizabeth Ellis asked Murray to consider doing anger management programs to limit any future offending.
"It wasn't nice what you did. I want you to promise you're not going to hurt someone again," Ms Ellis said.
Murray was placed on a CRO without a conviction for 12 months.
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