A Dubbo sub-contractor who assaulted his employer multiple times was smiling and laughing while he threw the punches.
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Mitchell Bergman, 28, had been working for the victim as a sub-contractor when the violent dispute began.
Bergman had been working before he sent the victim a message about 3.30pm on November 5 saying "f--- this shit I'm done for the day".
The victim attempted to call Bergman to find out why he was leaving, before he went to the worksite and spoke with other employees.
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Finally speaking to Bergman over the phone, the pair got into a heated verbal argument before the victim hung up and arrived at the worksite.
Bergman was nowhere to be seen and when the victim got back into his vehicle and checked his phone, there was another threatening message.
"Man you really need to sort your shit out do not ever fucking speaker [sic] me like that again or I will jump all over you"," the text read.
The victim attempted to ring Bergman to deescalate the situation, however Bergman continued to say "come over".
The victim arrived at Bergman's home to talk about what was going on, and when Bergman opened the door he threw a right-handed punch, hitting the victim in the left cheek, causing him to fall backwards onto the front lawn.
Before the victim could recover Bergman then jumped on the victim who was still on the ground and continued to throw multiple punches striking him in the nose.
According to court documents Bergman was smiling and laughing as the victim struggled to break free.
The victim managed to wrestle Bergman off him, before he got off the ground and into to his vehicle, and drove to the police station to make a statement.
Bergman pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm, and stalk/intimidate intend fear or physical harm in Dubbo Local Court on Wednesday.
Defence solicitor David Hemsworth told the court Bergman was a self-employed and his business was in its infancy when the pandemic began, which put pressure on the business. The court heard he intends to move to Newcastle to expand his business.
"Surely your employment prospects in Dubbo must be very close to ruined after that behaviour," Magistrate Brian van Zuylen said.
"Why would people want to employ you if you go around and punch them in the face.
"There's a lot of publicity about what punches can do if they go wrong, people fall over fracture their skulls, and that's where real catastrophes happen.
"Rather than a bloody nose he could have had brain damage or worse."
Magistrate van Zuylen took into account Bergman's lack of criminal record and early plea of guilt.
Bergman was convicted and sentenced to two community corrections orders, fined $1000 and ordered not to assault the victim.