TWO men who assaulted a 13-year-old boy who threw a tantrum with his mother have been placed on 12-month good behaviour bonds.
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Nathan Lawn, 19, of Hyland Street, Mortlake, and Aron Parsons, 22, of Tea Tree Court, Mortlake, were each placed on bonds for restraining the victim against his will on December 31 last year.
Both men pleaded guilty in the Warrnambool Magistrates Court to unlawful assault.
Police prosecutor Sergeant Sandra Skilton said the victim had an argument with his mother and smashed a chair on a table.
Lawn grabbed the victim’s arm and held him to the ground, Sergeant Skilton said.
Parsons had later stopped the victim from leaving the house and the victim fell on to a couch.
Sergeant Skilton said the boy suffered minor bruising to his arm.
Belinda Northey, counsel for Parsons, said her client understood he acted inappropriately.
She said the victim had thrown a tantrum and Parsons tried to defuse the situation.
Xavier Farrelly, for Lawn, said his client was in a relationship with the victim’s mother at the time.
That relationship had since ended, Mr Farrelly said.
Magistrate Peter Mellas told Parsons it was not his role to discipline the victim.
“You do not know what this person has gone through,” he said.
“You might think it is the right thing but it is not.”
He told Lawn that he might have believed he should discipline the victim because of his relationship with the victim’s mother.
“But you are the worst-equipped person to get involved,” Mr Mellas told Lawn.
He said he took into account that both men had expressed regret when deciding their penalty.