PAYNE’S MUM IN MAC ATTACK
THE mother of NSW State of Origin debutant Payne Haas (pictured) has been sentenced to two years in jail after pleading guilty to violently bashing a delivery driver she believed had cut her off in a McDonald’s car park.
But despite a magistrate slamming the attack as “absolutely unforgivable”, mother of 10 Uiatu “Joan” Taufua was released on immediate parole because she cares for her quadriplegic son.
Taufua and two co-offenders, who cannot be identified, assaulted 50-year-old Keith Tyler so badly he was left with severe facial injuries and needed five weeks off work.
Taufua, 42, pleaded guilty to assault occasioning bodily harm while in company at a sentencing hearing in Southport Magistrates Court yesterday.
She arrived wearing a NSW Blues scarf and told reporters: “Go the Blues.”
Taufua and two others attacked Mr Tyler in a loading dock at The Pines shopping centre at Elanora last July.
The court heard Taufua became “extremely agitated” and began yelling obscenities at Mr Tyler after she believed he had cut her off as she exited the McDonald’s carpark in her Toyota HiAce.
A confrontation followed in the loading dock after Mr Tyler stopped his truck and began filming Taufua on his mobile phone. Mr Tyler was called a “f---ing dog” and a “f--ing mutt” and had his phone slapped out of his hand.
One of Taufua’s companions put Mr Tyler in a headlock, kneed him and hit him in the face. Taufua held Mr Tyler by the shoulders as he was being assaulted.
The court was told a number of witnesses ran in to help the delivery driver, who was bleeding profusely.
Taufua again abused him and struck him in the face before fleeing the scene.
Mr Tyler suffered injuries including a fractured cheek, deviated septum and hole in his bottom lip. He was also suffering ongoing emotional and psychological trauma.
Police called for a jail sentence.
Defence lawyer Lisa Searing said the incident had gotten out of hand very quickly and Taufua regretted that.
Ms Searing said one of Taufua’s sons had been left a quadriplegic after a car accident and her husband had been badly injured in another crash, and her reaction to Mr Tyler allegedly cutting her off was “very emotional”. None of Mr Tyler’s injuries were caused by Taufua, she said.
Magistrate Pamela Dowse said the sentencing was complicated by the fact Taufua was the main carer for her disabled son. She sentenced her to two years’ jail with immediate parole.
It is the second time in two months Taufua has faced court charges with serious assault. In March, she was sentenced to three years probation for assaulting a woman and her teenage daughter at a women’s rugby league grand final in Brisbane last August, just weeks after the attack on Mr Tyler.