A North Lismore man who punching a ‘friend’ in the head then bit his granddaughters’ thumb till it bled after he was told he was no longer welcome to sleep on their couch has been jailed for 12 months.
Jordan Cheteucuti appeared before Magistrate R Denes at Lismore Local Court on Monday.
The 19-year-old, who was on an 18 month good behaviour bond after being convicted for breaking into the Billlen Cliffs Community Centre on July 2 last year, was charged with two counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm and possessing a prohibited drug.
When Mr Cheteucuti was with a group of people at 11.30pm in Lismore, on May 12, when questioned, he told police he was carrying cannabis down his pants which was for personal use.
He was arrested and taken to Lismore police station where he was charged with possessing 24 grams of cannabis and issued court attendance notice.
Then on June 30, when Mr Cheteucuti was staying on the couch at a friend’s North Lismore home and he was told he was no longer welcome, he got angry.
He started yelling at his friend before he punched him in the head five to eight times, police facts stated.
The man suffered broken skin above his right eye, bleeding, swelling and bruising from the attack.
When the man’s grand daughter saw the assault she tried to stop Mr Cheteucuti, but he bit her left thumb, causing it to bleed.
He was arrested that day after fleeing the scene and taken to Lismore police station where he was charged and granted conditional bail.
Magistrate David Heilpern issued a section 25(2) warrant for Mr Cheteucuti to be arrested and brought before the court to be sentenced when he failed to appear at Lismore Local Court on July 17.
On Monday, Magistrate Denes sentenced Mr Cheteucuti to 12 months jail with a non-parole period of six months on the two charges of assault occasioning actual bodily harm.
He was also jailed for six months for breaching a good behaviour bond.
With good behaviour, he will be eligible for parole on January 30, 2018.
Once released, Ms Denes ordered Mr Cheteucuti to be supervised by the probation and parole service.
