STOP THE ‘BUTTS

Magistrate jails thug for Abbott assault

A HOBART man who headbutted former prime minister Tony Abbott in an unprovoked attack at Salamanca has been jailed for two months — with the magistrate saying such assaults had no place in society. Astro Labe, pictured, struck after asking to shake Mr Abbott’s hand when he spotted him walking past the bar he was drinking at with friends last September.

A HOBART DJ who assaulted former prime minister Tony Abbott on a city street will spend two months behind bars.

Deputy Chief Magistrate Michael Daly yesterday sentenced Astro Labe, 39, of North Hobart, to six months’ jail, but said he would be released after serving two months, on the condition he did not commit a crime involving violence for two years after his release.

Labe had pleaded guilty to one count of causing harm to a commonwealth official.

The Hobart Magistrates Court heard Labe was drinking with friends at a Salamanca Place bar on September 21 last year, when he saw Mr Abbott walk past about 4.30pm.

Mr Daly said Labe told his companions he “would like to headbutt” Mr Abbott.

Some time later, Labe saw Mr Abbott leave Salamanca Square and followed him along Morrison St.

Labe called out to the former PM, saying: “Hey, Tony, can I shake your hand?”

When Mr Abbott extended his hand, Labe headbutted Mr Abbott.

“Mr Abbott pushed you away and you walked off yelling words to the effect of, ‘you f...ing deserved it’,” Mr Daly said. He said Labe’s opportunity to do harm to Mr Abbott came from a “cowardly deception”.

Mr Daly said Mr Abbott had suffered only minor swelling to his lip, but that did not mean the incident was not serious.

“Any blow to the head is of course potentially serious,” he said.

“The conduct has the potential to create fear in situations where there ought to be none ... Causing an ideological opponent harm is not how differences are to be addressed in our society.”

Mr Daly said he accepted Labe “had feelings of regret”, but Mr Daly said those regrets were in relation to his own circumstances rather than the offence.

He said Labe had told national media he thought what he had done was funny and “it wasn’t a good enough headbutt”.

Mr Daly said the headbutt appeared to be motivated by contempt for Mr Abbott and that Labe had continued to show contempt for the MP.

Mr Daly said the behaviour was out of character and Labe was held in high regard by those who know him well.

He said the fact that Labe had been consuming alcohol was not a mitigating factor.

The assault occurred at the time of the marriage equality postal survey.

Mr Abbott said at the time Labe, who was wearing a promarriage equality sticker, was motivated by that issue.

But Labe told the media, and his lawyer subsequently told the court, it was a coincidence he was wearing the sticker.

Labe was taken into custody after his court appearance yesterday. He was also ordered to undergo alcohol and drug treatment as part of his probation after he is released from prison, and to pay court costs of $65.10.

Tasmanian Liberal senator Eric Abetz welcomed the sentence.

“In our democratic polity, everyone should be treated with respect and without any physical threats, intimidation or attacks,” Senator Abetz said.