Robert Whelan, 72,​ ​of McKenna Place, Warrnambool,​ ​pleaded guilty in the Warrnambool Magistrates Court to recklessly causing injury.

He was fined without a conviction being recorded.

Police said that Whelan was the landlord of the victim, who is aged in his 80s.

On the morning of March 6 there was a telephone conversation between the men, which became heated.

The victim was at the​ ​Warrnambool Lawn Tennis Bowls Club when Whelan arrived.

Whelan was aggressive and abusive and called the victim a derogatory name indicating he was lazy.

“I told you not to park on the front lawn,” he said, before pushing the victim to the chest with two hands.

When the victim got up off the ground, Whelan punched him three or four times to the head, causing bleeding, a fractured nose and two black eyes.

The victim was cared for by another bowls club member and later had a scan in hospital.

When interviewed by police, Whelan claimed he had been head-butted before he threw the punches.

“He came up swinging,” he told police.

Lawyer Tony Robinson said the victim and his wife rented a house from Whelan and there had been some minor tension between​ ​the men.

He said that during an inspection Whelan noticed there were wheel ruts on the front lawn.

The lawyer said there was​ ​a potential self-defence defence to the charges, but Whelan wanted to plead guilty, had no prior court appearances and was deeply embarrassed.

“This has really rattled him. He’s deeply troubled this has occurred,” Mr Robinson said.

Magistrate Michael Coghlan said Whelan had pleaded guilty and indicated remorse.

He said it was very unfortunate that a man in his 70s came to blows with a man in his 80s and the victim ​suffered injuries.

The magistrate said the victim would have been distressed and upset.

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