A MAN accused of choking a five-year-old boy at Rutherford on Saturday had only been released on parole two months ago after being jailed for a series of "brutal, random" and racially motivated attacks. The 27-year-old man, who the Newcastle Herald has chosen not to name to avoid identifying the young boy, appeared in Parramatta Bail Court on Sunday charged with intentionally choke person without consent (domestic violence).
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He did not enter any pleas, but applied for bail and it was refused.
The man will next appear in Maitland Local Court on Thursday.
Police say the 27-year-old was at a house at Rutherford about 2pm on Saturday when he allegedly became involved in an argument with a woman, 44, and became aggressive.
Police allege the man turned and grabbed a boy, 5, by the throat with both hands and lifted him off the ground, before letting him go onto a lounge.
The man then left the house and the alleged assault was reported to Port-Stephens Hunter police, who launched an investigation.
Following inquiries, police in Sydney arrested the man at a hotel in Castlereagh Street at Haymarket about 9.45pm on Saturday.
The man, who before his arrest was serving a period on parole until May, 2022, was released from jail on March 11 after pleading guilty to a "series of brutal, random attacks on people of Asian appearance" in Randwick in 2018.
The unprovoked attacks left seven people injured, including a 70-year-old man.
The attacks began just before 10pm on May 17, 2018, when the man, then 25, punched a woman in the face while walking along Avoca Street.
As he continued down the street he assaulted several other women in a group. Walking on to Belmore Road, he then punched a 30-year-old man in the face, before punching and kicking the 70-year-old man, leaving him with facial injuries.
Police said the man then crossed the road, punching a 26-year-old woman in the face before kicking her repeatedly.
A man who tried to intervene was also punched in the face multiple times, leaving him with facial injuries.
The man ultimately pleaded guilty to reckless wounding, four counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm and two counts of common assault.
He was initially jailed in Waverley Local Court for a maximum of five years, with a non-parole period of three years and nine months but successfully appealed against the severity in the District Court and was ultimately sentenced to a maximum of four years in jail with a non-parole period of one year and five months.
I couldn't even say 'help'. I was screaming and he was kicking me.
- One female victim told Nine News at the time.
