Father, 42, fined $4,500 for headbutting and punching a boy, 17, outside his child’s private school – but he says he was defending his daughter from bullies
- Stewart Martincic was dropping his kids off at school when the assault happened
- The 42-year-old said he heard a 17-year-old make a comment about his daughter
- He head-butted the boy, punched him twice, then tackled him to the ground
- Martincic claimed he assaulted the boy because his daughter was being bullied
- The magistrate ordered that a fine of $4,500 be paid to the victim
A middle-aged father has narrowly avoided jail time after belting a school boy in the face and wrestling him to the ground outside his daughter’s elite private school.
Stewart Martincic, 42, was dropping his children off at Corpus Christi College in Perth when he overheard a student make a comment about his teenage daughter, reported The West.
The father then got out of his car and head-butted the 17-year-old, who he claimed had made the comment, kicked the student’s phone out of his hand, punched him twice in the cheek and chest, then put him in a headlock and tackled him to the ground.
Stewart Martincic (pictured with his wife, Annabelle Martincic) narrowly avoided jail time after belting a school boy in the face and wrestling him to the ground outside his daughter’s elite private school
Magistrate Nicholas Lemmon accepted Mr Martincic’s claim that the violent act was carried out because his daughter was being bullied, but said he should have acted like an adult and driven off instead of assaulting the minor.
The boy suffered physically and psychologically after the attack.
‘It’s hard to think of another place where children are entitled to feel safe from violence from adults than a school,’ said Mr Lemmon.
‘Children should also not be in a position where they witness violence … particularly by an adult who is a parent at the school.’
Stewart Martincic (pictured with his wife, Annabelle Martincic) then got out of his car and head-butted the 17-year-old who he claimed made the comment, kicked the student’s phone out of his hand, punched him twice in the cheek and chest, then put him in a headlock and tackled him to the ground
Mr Lemmon acknowledged Mr Martincic was not usually a violent man, but said the attack was particularly serious because it happened on school grounds and in front of students.
He also recognised that Mr Martincic was dealing with stress at the time of the incident.
Mr Martincic’s wife, Annabelle Martincic, was sentenced to six years in jail in 2018 after she was found guilty of stealing $1.14 million from her husband’s building and construction company to fund her lavish lifestyle.
Magistrate Nicholas Lemmon acknowledged Mr Martincic was not usually a violent man, but said the attack was particularly serious because it happened on the grounds of Corpus Christi College (pictured) and in front of students
Several young witnesses gave evidence against the father, and Mr Martincic pleaded guilty to assault occasioning bodily harm.
Mr Lemmon refused to grant a spent conviction and ordered a fine of $4,500 be paid to the victim.
He emerged from Fremantle Magistrate’s Court after the conviction with a black garbage bag on his head.
Corpus Christi College principal Caroline Payne explained she took bullying claims seriously, and said in a statement: ‘the safety and well-being of all students is our highest priority’.