A BRAIN-DAMAGED man who spat in a woman’s hair, swore and refused to leave a pub after a drunken tirade has been convicted in Armidale Local Court.
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Brendan Pitt, 45, is usually in the care of his cousin, but was left in the hands of his brother while she went on a ‘short budget cruise’, Aboriginal Legal Service defence solicitor Guy Newby told the court.
“Two years ago or thereabouts he suffered a very bad assault at the hands of a family member at a drunken get-together in Moree and was left with a very serious brain injury as a result of that,” Mr Newby said.
“Unfortunately the supervision [by his brother] wasn’t as strict, he weakened and went down to the pub, one [beer] came after the other and he committed these offences.
“He can’t really recall the assault but he said he was pretty charged up.”
Mixing three to four ‘stubbies’ with half a dozen medications for his brain injury was a ‘disaster’ move for Pitt, Mr Newby said.
No criminal convictions had been recorded by Pitt while he was under the care of his cousin.
Magistrate Michael Holmes said the man’s behaviour was unacceptable.
“Armidale is a different place to Moree,” he said.
“Your drunkenness is in this town is not acceptable and it isn’t there either.
“You committed common assault of a female patron, you spat in her hair and spoiled a nice night out for her.”
The offence occurred on June 6 this year.
Pitt pleaded guilty to common assault, using offensive language and remaining in a licensed premises after being excluded on Monday.
Magistrate Michael Holmes urged Pitt to stay in the care of his cousin.
“Don’t let yourself down, every time you look at your record it’s grog,” he said.
“I know, it’s white man’s poison,” Pitt said.
For the assault, Pitt was fined $250 and put on a good behaviour bond for two years with supervision, he was fined $250 for bad language and $250 for remaining in the pub after he was kicked out.