Pinjarra teen Benjamin Ronald Fullarton assaulted older man who yelled at pregnant girlfriend near Yarloop

A Pinjarra teenager who punched a 65-year-old man for screaming at his pregnant girlfriend after a heated road rage confrontation near Yarloop has been fined $1000. Benjamin Ronald Fullarton, 19, pleaded guilty to unlawful assault thereby causing bodily harm with circumstances of aggravation in Harvey Magistrates Court on January 10 after a conversation with an older man escalated into a physical confrontation. The argument happened after a road incident near Yarloop on August 26, where a loose piece of metal smashed one of Fullarton’s car windows while the two were driving near each other. At 8.15pm, Fullarton was driving his red Holden Barina northbound along a Yarloop road, when the material flew off the trailer of the Toyota Landcruiser driving in front of him, hitting the driver’s-side window. The court was told that after stopping beside the Landcruiser at a give-way sign Fullarton confronted the 65-year-old man about the incident, with the two men pulling over to assess the damage. Prosecuting officer Darren Grigson said while Fullarton was checking the damage to his car, the victim felt “threatened” and pushed the Pinjarra teen, then returned to his car. The court was told that the older man then began to yell at Fullarton’s pregnant girlfriend, who had approached the Landcruiser, prompting Fullarton to retaliate by throwing three punches at the man. The 65-year-old suffered bleeding to his lip and bruises to his face and later required plastic surgery because of the incident. Magistrate Belinda Coleman said that both the men were at fault and the victim didn’t “come to the incident with clean hands”, however Fullarton “lost his cool” as the situation unfolded. “You can’t put an old head on young shoulders,” she said. “I need to send a message, to you and other young men, that this behaviour is entirely unacceptable.” Fullarton entered a late plea of guilty for unlawful assault there by causing bodily harm with circumstances of aggravation and received a $1000 fine payable to the victim as well as $134.50 in court costs.