George Coe, 28, was convicted at Cowra Local Court on Wednesday, May 9 on a charge of common assault stemming from an offence at a residence on Back Street about 10.15pm on February 10 this year. Facts tendered at court reveal he used his two hands to push the victim to the ground. The court heard Coe, who also lives on Back Street, was searching for a man who had “upset” some of his family members and who he “knew” was at staying at the victim’s residence. 

“He wanted to speak to him and warn him off and not have him coming over to his property,” Solicitor Geoff Casey said. Mr Casey said his client had consumed a number of Jim Beam bourbon cans before entering the residence, became annoyed when he couldn’t find the man he was searching for, then pushed the victim.

“Since that time, the person who created the problem has left Cowra and that problem has gone away,” Mr Casey told the court.

“He instructs me that he apologised to the victim. She accepted that apology and since that time there’s been no problems between them.”

Police were alerted and arrested Coe a short time after the assault.

“This is a moment of failure,” Magistrate O’Brien told Coe.

“One of the reasons why, in a community, we have a rule that it’s not appropriate to take matters into your own hands is that if that applied no one would be safe.

“There are appropriate ways to deal with it. It’s not appropriate to take matters into your own hands. Self-induced intoxication is not a defence nor a mitigating factor.” An apprehended violence order for the benefit of the victim was put in place for 12 months.

A 24-year-old Cowra man has been disqualified from driving for seven months after being caught driving more than two times over the legal blood alcohol limit.

Dylan Richard Beer of Newcombe Street, was also fined $400 at Cowra Local Court on Wednesday, May 9 on a charge of a mid-range drink driving. Beer was stopped by police on Lachlan Street about 4.55pm on December 8 last year. After failing the breath test he registered a reading of  .117 and his driver’s licnece was suspended. Beer was also placed on a section nine bond for seven months. His disqualification was backdated to the day of the offence.