A WAGGA magistrate delivered stern words about violence having no place in workplaces when he convicted a man who assaulted and threatened to "rip" another employee's head off.
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The 40-year-old man from Junee appeared in Wagga Local Court on Wednesday after he pleaded guilty to one count of common assault.
Court documents state that he was a supervisor at a Wagga warehouse when he and the victim started an argument about meeting workplace standards on February 1.
The man then grabbed and pushed the victim against a wall, hitting his head.
A struggle ensued before the man grabbed the victim again and pulled him towards the front of the warehouse where they both ran into a pallet.
The man yelled "I should rip your head off" before letting go.
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In court on Wednesday, defence lawyer John Weir argued for leniency because of the assault's context that is not detailed in the court documents.
Mr Weir said the assault was a "slow-burn provocation" because of months of workplace disobedience by the victim.
"It's not an instance of power imbalance in the workplace, my client was immediately dismissed as a result of this incident," he said.
Mr Weir said his client had already suffered substantial punishment from losing his position.
However, magistrate Imad Abdul-Karim said "the court has to make a strong statement that there is no place for violence anywhere in the community, especially in the workplace".
"The defendant should've known better to walk away," Mr Abdul-Karim said.
"It occurred in the context of a history of disobedience, but that does not in any way provide an excuse."
The man was fined $330.