A screaming match between two neighbours at a caravan park has landed a 64-year-old man in court where he was ordered not to have any more contact with the woman despite her living metres away.
Christopher John Bellett, 64, pleaded guilty in Hervey Bay Magistrates Court on Thursday to one count of common assault.
The court heard the incident happened on February 11 in the driveway of Hillcrest Caravan Park in Burrum Heads when an argument broke out between Bellett and another resident of the park.
He walked up to the victim and pushed her in the chest, then continued to yell at the victim and was close enough that spittle from his mouth landed on her, the court was told.
This was witnessed by several people, who provided statements to the police.
CCTV footage was also obtained showing the assault, the court was told.
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Bellett was spoken to by police in April but declined to be interviewed.
The court heard Bellett was receiving Centrelink payments, was single and had no children.
His 90-year-old dad lived in Canberra.
Bellett lived in the caravan park in close proximity to the victim, but he was willing to abide by a no-contact order, the court heard.
In regard to the spitting, Bellett had apologised to the victim and said it had occurred as a result of having missing front teeth, with the court hearing there had been a “screaming match”.
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Magistrate Trinity McvGarvie said the push had been the common assault and the spittle was a consequence of him yelling.
She said there was no allegation that the spitting was deliberate, it was of a consequence of the fact that he was yelling at the time.
But Ms McGarvie said no one in the caravan park deserved to be confronted with violence or pushed or shoved in the chest.
She accepted it was not the way he normally conducted himself as he had no prior criminal history.
“On this occasion your behaviour was simply not appropriate,” she said.
Bellett was fined $600 and no conviction was recorded.
A no-contact order was put in place until May 17, 2024.