The father of Hampden league legend Jason Mifsud has been jailed for a month after repeatedly punching his female neighbour in an argument over escapee calves.
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Sam Mifsud, 66, of Hopkins Highway, Ellerslie, pleaded guilty in the Warrnambool Magistrates Court on Monday to intentionally causing injury, while charges of recklessly causing injury and unlawful assault were withdrawn.
Magistrate Steve Raleigh said Mifsud had a number of prior court appearances for similar offences and even though those appearances were dated, they showed a man who had trouble controlling his temper.
He said an Office Of Corrections report indicated that Mifsud felt he had no alternative other than to strike the woman.
Mifsud was convicted and sentenced to one month in jail, to be followed by a 12-month community corrections order.
He has appealed against the severity of the sentence.
Police said that about midday on November 13 last year, Mifsud's calves got out and onto the Hopkins Highway via his neighbour's property.
Mifsud attempted to put them back through his neighbour's property but she denied him entry and stood in front of her gate.
Mifsud pushed the middle-aged woman and then hit her numerous times with a right clenched fist to the head.
He hit her at least three times causing a cut above the woman's left eye.
Mifsud later told police officers he was just trying to get the calves off the road and the victim stopped him opening the gate.
In a victim impact statement the woman read to the court, she said she lost consciousness, suffered a laceration to her face and post traumatic stress disorder.
She said she now had a constant fear for her safety, had not returned to her home, was unable to work or maintain her property and had fallen into extreme financial hardship.
Lawyer Tony Robinson said stock on roads was a major issue in rural areas and had led to a fatality at Tower Hill.
He said Mifsud had just wanted to get the flighty calves off the highway, cars were going past at 100km/h and his wife was in a car with her hazard lights on.
Mr Robinson said it was in that heated situation that Mifsud acted with a completely misplaced sense of justice.
He told the court Mifsud and his wife had five children and one of those was an outstanding footballer and had been associated with St Kilda.
The magistrate said Sam Mifsud's reaction was unacceptable.
Mifsud previously appeared in courts during August 2004, October 2000 and September 1990 charged with assault-related offences.
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