By CAM LUCADOU-WELLS
A CRANBOURNE man who struck and verbally abused a Dandenong railway station PSO has been jailed for six months.
Akol Deng Mabour, 22, sought a sentencing indication as he appeared on a prison video link in Dandenong Magistrates’ Court on 11 July.
Mabour swore aggressively at two PSOs when asked to produce a concession card at the railway station on the night of 4 May, the court was told.
“I have no respect for you, c***”, “You bitch, I’ll spit in your face” and “I’ll f*** you c***s up”, he said during his abusive tirade.
Mabour was moved on from the station. He returned with eight youths, including his younger brother, from Pop Up Park on Foster Street.
As Mabour approached, a PSO pushed him in the chest. Mabour then struck out with his right arm to the PSO’s face.
Mabour persistently resisted as the PSOs threw him to the ground, handcuffed and arrested him. Mabour refused treatment from a paramedic for a cut to his forehead.
He told police soon after “they had it in for me”.
“If you have a fight with me, I’m going to win.”
Defence lawyer Nadine Daniel said Mabour returned to the station a second time because he had no other way of getting home.
“In the first instance, he was going home. His mistake was not having proof of concession.
“In the first instance he was trying to avoid any trouble.”
Magistrate Jack Vandersteen retorted: “I don’t understand that at all. There’s nothing he did that supports what you said – nothing.
“While I accept you felt affronted by the PSOs asking for a concession card, your behaviour was unacceptable, unnecessary and the level of aggression was unwarranted.”
Mr Vandersteen said it was “not unreasonable” for a PSO to ask for a concession card.
He noted the PSOs gave Mabour multiple warnings for his foul language and tried to get him out of the area rather than “engage with him”.
“What would you be thinking if you put yourself in the position of the PSOs … when he goes out and comes back with a group of associates?
“None of us are really confronted by people in this way. We’re in a very sterile environment.
“I’d be really nervous if eight people advanced on me.”
Mabour was already serving an 18-month jail term, with a five-month non-parole period over an assault on a taxi driver.
Mr Vandersteen noted Mabour’s multiple violent priors, including assault of a police officer.
Mabour received a six month term – with two months served on top of his existing jail sentence.
