Former Ryde mayor Vic Tagg has escaped conviction and received an 18-month good behaviour bond for assaulting current mayor Bill Pickering outside a polling booth at a primary school on council byelection day.
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The court heard that Tagg, who was an independent candidate in the byelection, punched Councillor Pickering, who was there as campaign director for Liberal candidate Jane Stott, in the jaw at Putney Public School on February 21.
Tagg's lawyer Greg Walsh told the court his client was taunted by Cr Pickering, who told voters they should not vote for the 63-year-old because of his involvement in a 2013 ICAC hearing.
Tagg took offence at the allegations, and the fact Mr Pickering had sent out flyers to 15,000 constituents outlining the independent councillor's investigation by ICAC, which was later dismissed.
Mr Walsh told court his client "couldn't hit his way out of a paper bag" and that the incident was "something he will regret for the rest of his life".
"When someone says to you in front of members of the public that you're a crook and that ICAC has found you corrupt and when those things are untrue and they're defamatory, I think most of the public would understand that someone like Vic Tagg could lose his self control," Mr Walsh said.
"I'm relieved for Vic that he hasn't got a conviction. He was very much subject to real provocation, so I'm glad that all the facts came out."
Tagg pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm and later broke down in tears, telling reporters he "never meant to hurt anybody".
"To have my name destroyed, it's not good," Tagg said following the hearing. "It's a good result. Thank god everything has come out all right today."
There was a moment of madness after the verdict had been handed down when a supporter of Tagg ripped an example of the flyer which Cr Pickering had disseminated to residents out of a reporter's hand before throwing it onto the ground.
Clearly unhappy at the portrayal of his friend, the man stormed out of Burwood Court House, unaware the flyer was given to the reporter by Tagg's lawyer.
Magistrate Bruce Williams was comfortable that Tagg was provoked and said he was "a person of otherwise good character".
The court heard Tagg had crouched on the ground to open a bag at the school, where his two daughters are vice-captains at, before rising and punching Mr Pickering in the jaw, who immediately fell to the ground.
Cr Pickering was taken to Ryde Hospital and complained of soreness to the rear of his neck and spine, as well as dizziness, nauseousness and drowsiness.
Tagg did not rule out standing again for local council again and said he wanted to continue his involvement in the community.
Ms Stott was elected to the council in the byelection. She replaced Ivan Petch, who resigned from the council after failing to have an ICAC corruption finding overturned in the Supreme Court.
