A woman collapsed in Young Local Court yesterday after hearing her son had been sentenced to prison for affray.
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Moments after Sharon Walton fainted, Magistrate Chris O’Brien continued his judgment saying the term of imprisonment had been wholly suspended and that her son wouldn’t be going to jail so long as he was of good behaviour for the next nine months.
It is believed Ms Walton was under the impression her son would be sent to prison that day, as she had not heard the rest of the judgement.
The way Magistrate O’Brien read out the judgement was in line with usual practice for a suspended sentence.
Paramedics treated Ms Walton at the scene and she was conveyed to hospital.
Her son, Thomas Charles Walton, 23, of Woolooware, was one of five men who were before the court this week on charges relating to the August 8 attack on Robert and Linda Anderson out the front of the Criterion Hotel.
The attack left the couple bruised and battered, with them both requiring hospital care.
Police withdrew the charges for three of the men - Jason Russell Grimson, Jeremy Barber and Kyle Hardy - because of lack of evidence.
Walton pleaded guilty to a charge of affray and had another two charges of assault occasioning in actual bodily harm withdrawn.
George Page, 19, of Canberra also pleaded guilty to affray and had one charge of assault occasioning in actual bodily harm withdrawn.
According to the police facts tendered in court, at the time of the attack, the five men were banned from the majority of licensed venues in Young for fighting. But inside the Criterion Hotel a heated argument had erupted between the five men and one of the other patrons.
The five were requested to leave, which they did, but soon returned waiting at each exit point.
Linda and Robert Anderson, who were at the venue drinking with friends, decided to leave the hotel surrounding the person who had been involved in the argument to protect him from being assaulted.
Upon walking out the group was met with a barrage of abuse and calls for the man to fight.
In the melee that ensued, Walton pushed Ms Anderson to the ground with considerable force. She sustained a grazed forehead and ankle, cuts to her left middle finger and later required surgery on both her hips.
Both Walton and Page punched Mr Anderson in the head several times each, with Page mounted on his back. Mr Anderson sustained a broken wrist, bruising to the back of his head and a swollen neck.
Page was convicted with affray, fined $900, plus $83 for court costs and was placed on an 18 month good behaviour bond.
Walton was convicted with affray and given the suspended sentence.