St George Illawarra Dragons player Junior Amone avoids jail over hammer assault
NRL player Talatau “Junior” Amone has avoided jail over a rooftop hammer attack on a tradesman in a Wollongong suburb last year.
The St George Illawarra Dragons stood down Amone in October after being found guilty of the November 2022 assault in Warrawong in Wollongong Local Court.
In court on Monday Magistrate Gabriel Fleming described the 21-year-old’s behaviour as “appalling” and sentenced him to a 12-month intensive community corrections order.
“You armed yourself with a hammer, the victims were vulnerable, the victim was up on a roof, there was nowhere to go,” Magistrate Fleming said.
“You are 21 – you are not a child.
“You have to be responsible for your own behaviour.
“This is a tragedy – this could jeopardise your entire future in the profession you love.
“This is your tragedy, not mine.”
Junior’s father, Talatau “Dal” Amone, was also found guilty of assault and was sentenced to two years and six months behind bars.
With time already served, he will be eligible for parole in 12 months.
Junior was also ordered to undertake 300 hours of community service.
Father and son, who were supported by about 20 people at the court, sat quietly beside each other as Magistrate Fleming delivered their sentences.
The court heard Dal was annoyed that tradesman Jai King had parked on the grass verge of a neighbour’s house and approached him and asked that he move his vehicle.
During the confrontation the stalk of the victim’s indicator was broken.
Junior, who was being urged on by his father, then pursued the man onto the roof of a two-storey home.
Magistrate Fleming said Dal was the “instigator” and yelled abuse at the victim and instructions to his son including, “Go on kill him”.
“He called him a dog and said, ‘I am going to bash you,'” Magistrate Fleming said.
During Junior Amone’s pursuit of the victim, Mr King fell from the wet roof and broke both of his hands.
His ribs and right hip were also injured.
