Bunbury man admits fracturing housemate’s eye socket in ‘fair fight‘ at home

A self-represented man who admitted the vicious assault of his housemate which fractured the victim’s eye socket said it had been a “fair fight” within their home. Christopher Ronald Pittard, 50, faced Bunbury Magistrates Court on Monday where he pleaded guilty to an assault occasioning bodily harm which occurred on May 10. The court was told a verbal argument broke out between Pittard and his housemate which turned physical when the offender pushed the victim. He then began punching him several times in a prolonged assault, leaving the man with a fractured eye socket. Pittard opted to represent himself in court despite being given a chance to seek legal advice before entering his plea. He declined, telling the court it had been a “fair fight”. ‘I don’t want it to be any more complicated than what it is“, Pittard said. “It was a fair fight. He punched me as much as I punched him. I admit I got into a fight with my friend.” Magistrate Stephen Butcher warned of the potential consequences of entering a plea without legal representation. “You do realise I can send you to jail,” he said. Mr Butcher said that term could be up to seven year behinds bars, with the matter serious. “The person you assaulted was in your home and should have felt safe,” he said. “I want to say you have showed remorse, but your comments today are anything but that. “(Your mitigation was) five minutes of victim-blaming.” Taking into account Pittard’s early plea of guilty, Mr Butcher sentenced him to a 12-month community based order program and supervision requirements including counselling and anger management sessions.