Fallen St George Illawarra playmaker Junior Amone has avoided jail after being found guilty of arming himself with a hammer and chasing a trader off a roof during a heated dispute.
But the 21-year-old left Wollongong Local Court on Monday without his father Talatau Amone, who was sentenced to two and a half years with a non-parole period of 12 months.
Junior Amone and his father Talatau Amone were found guilty in Wollongong Local Court in October of a series of charges including assault relating to an incident outside their family home in Warrawong in November 2022.
Talatau Amone pleaded not guilty to damaging property, intimidation, entering a building or grounds with intent to commit an indictable offense and assault occasioning actual bodily harm.
The magistrate described the actions of footballer Junior Amone (pictured left, outside court on Monday) as 'appalling' as he was convicted of the attack.
The pair entered the court on Monday morning, flanked by family members and supporters.
Asked if they were prepared for the worst, lawyer Elias Tabchouri said the father and son were “prepared for anything.”
Magistrate Gabriel Fleming described the pair's behavior as 'appalling' as she sentenced the father and son individually for their roles during the heated confrontation.
Talatau Amone was sentenced to two and a half years behind bars, with a non-parole period of twelve months.
“There is an ongoing failure to understand the consequences of his violent actions,” Ms Fleming said of his behaviour.
“There's no insight, there's no remorse, there's no indication that the community would be safer if he served it in the community.”
Junior Amone (pictured) and his father Talatau were found guilty of the November 2022 attack in Warrawong on the NSW south coast
Junior Amone was sentenced to a two-year Intensive Corrections Order, a prison sentence to be served in the community.
Ms Fleming said the NRL player's behavior was “appalling”.
“You armed yourself with a hammer, the victims were vulnerable, the victim was on a roof with nowhere to go,” she said.
Mrs Fleming told the court it was a 'tragedy'. The conviction affects the 21-year-old's playing career and finances as he supports his family both in Australia and abroad.
“I think it's a tragedy that this could jeopardize your entire future in the profession you love,” she said.
“It's your tragedy, not mine.”
Both men were each fined $1,000 for damaging a car and will have to pay their share of $13,481 in damages.
The St George Illawarra playmaker (pictured playing in 2021) brandished a hammer as he chased two traders onto the roof of a house
Ms Fleming found the pair guilty of all charges in October after the court was told tradesmen Jai King and Dean West were working on a house opposite Amone's home when they became involved in an argument with a group of men about a Nissan Navara parked in a parking lot. nature strip.
The court was told Talatau Amone had elbowed the rear view mirror into the vehicle and turned off the turn signal.
Junior Amone then jumped onto the roof of the vehicle, the court was told, as his father abused and threatened the traffickers.
Mrs Fleming found Junior Amone and then climbed onto the roof of the building where the men were working, wielding a hammer. Mr King jumped to a neighboring roof to escape the pair, falling and crashing into an air conditioning unit on the way down.
He suffered serious injuries, including a broken hand.
Mr King told the court his attacker was tall, muscular and had a thin moustache.
Although the magistrate said the description alone did not positively identify Junior Amone, other evidence tied him to the crime scene and convinced her beyond a reasonable doubt that he was the man who chased Mr. King off the roof.
The court was shown CCTV footage of Junior Amone at Sydney Airport earlier on the day of the attack, with the footage helping to place the Dragons star at the scene of the crime.
Another piece of evidence before the court showed a vehicle with extensive damage to the windshield
Ms Fleming took into account that Junior Amone was seen on CCTV at Sydney Airport earlier in the day wearing clothing matching the description given by the victim and his fingerprints were found on the vehicle.
The NRL star's playing future is now under a cloud after the Dragons banned him indefinitely from all club activities.
“The Dragons acknowledge the guilty verdict handed down by player Talatau Amone in the Wollongong Court today in relation to an assault in November last year,” the club said in a statement after the guilty verdict.
“As a result of this outcome, Amone has been withdrawn from all club activities until further notice.”
The 21-year-old could face a prison sentence, which will take place later on Monday.
