- Benson Leipau Pauga appeared in court after shocking incident
- Assaulted Oztag referee Jason Fernie in July 2022
- The court heard that Pauga punched Fernie in the jaw
After an Oztag player tearfully apologised for his “stupid” attack on a referee, which caused a brain haemorrhage, the victim of the attack stepped forward with one thrust to shake his hand.
Benson Leipau Pauga approached Jason Fernie in the second half of the July 2022 match after his team accused the referee of favouring the opposition, a Brisbane court was told on Thursday.
After a verbal exchange, Pauga punched the 49-year-old man in the jaw.
Mr Fernie fell backwards, hit his head on the ground and went into convulsions, with blood in his mouth.
Pauga, now 34, left the field, while Mr Fernie, who had been a referee for 22 years, was taken to hospital with a brain haemorrhage and concussion.
On the judge’s instructions, Pauga returned to the Brisbane District Court to present the matter to Mr Fernie, before tearfully reading out a letter of apology.
“What I did was wrong, I made a really stupid mistake,” he said. “I hope you find it in your heart to forgive me.”
When Pauga had finished, Mr. Fernie stood up and shook his hand.
Football criminal Benson Leipau Pauga avoids jail after coward punches referee in Brisbane suburb
Victim Jason Fernie fell backwards, hit his head on the ground and went into convulsions after the incident in July 2022, with blood on his mouth
Mr Fernie’s victim impact statement made it clear the attack had a significant emotional and physical impact on the referee and his family, Judge Paul Smith said.
The court was told that Pauga described his behaviour as a “blind explosion” during a week in which he was separated from his wife and his partner in a scaffolding business had left.
“Referees need to feel safe in front of their players, but there was only one blow,” Judge Smith said.
Taking into account Pauga’s guilty plea to one count of assault occasioning actual bodily harm, Judge Smith sentenced him to 12 months’ imprisonment and recorded sentencing.
Pauga, who grew up in West Auckland and moved to Australia in 2009, faced deportation if sentenced to actual prison time.
He was ordered to pay Mr Fernie $5,000 in damages within six months.
The court heard he has been banned for life from playing Oztag.
It was good that Pauga apologised but his actions were completely unacceptable, Mr Fernie said outside court.
On the judge’s instructions, Mr Pauga appeared in the Brisbane District Court to face Mr Fernie before tearfully reading a letter of apology on Thursday
Fernie is unable to referee after the attack and told reporters he misses ‘my Oztag family’
Mr Fernie called the justice system rather soft and the level of compensation “a joke”. He said the outcome was disappointing and that he was still hurting from the attack.
“I can’t referee anymore, that’s what hurts the most – I miss my Oztag family,” he told reporters.
Australian Oztag CEO Luke Manahan said the organisation takes a tough stance against abuse of referees and officials.
“We know how important referees are to our game,” he told AAP.
Oztag is a non-tacking version of rugby league.
