![The men had been playing the pokies at the North Tamworth Bowling Club before the assault outside. Picture by Peter Hardin The men had been playing the pokies at the North Tamworth Bowling Club before the assault outside. Picture by Peter Hardin](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/afalkenmire/0e7e3369-b7ce-46c2-9c6f-969a44cfdcbb.jpg/r0_0_6016_4011_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
A MAN has walked from court after bashing a tattoo artist outside a bowling club over money owed to a friend.
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Damien Joseph Ridley was handed a 12-month prison term to be served in the community after pleading guilty in Tamworth Local Court to assault causing actual bodily harm.
The 28-year-old must also do 60 hours of community service.
Defence solicitor Garry Johnston told the court Ridley described what unfolded outside the North Tamworth Bowling Club as an instance of "wrong place, wrong time".
He said Ridley recognised the victim in the club, and the physical confrontation that ensued was brief - about 15 seconds - and left both men on the ground, injured, though Ridley threw the first punch.
Police prosecutor Sergeant Rob Baillie argued the agreed facts laying out the offending read in a bit more of an "aggravating way".
Magistrate Julie Soars read the document and said the assault caused the victim to suffer bruising, swelling, and a cut, in the context of "a dispute over money owed to a third party".
"I'm told [Ridley] struck out after being called a name," she said.
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She warned him he would have to front the parole board if he breached the conditions of his order. The court heard he was close to the end of a parole period for a separate matter at the time of the punch-up.
"It's my hope you're heading in the right direction now," she told him.
Ridley was arrested in the weeks after the assault on the night of October 21, last year.
The facts show he arrived at the bowling club with a friend about 40 minutes after the victim and his friend entered.
They all left about 11pm, and outside, Ridley said to the victim "where are you going?" and "you owe someone some money".
The victim asked who he was talking about and said "I have never seen either of you two in my life", before calling someone on Snapchat over loudspeaker.
The victim told the person on the phone he wasn't giving money to anyone he didn't know, and called Ridley a name he "took exception to".
Ridley punched the victim and threw him to the ground before punching him again. He got into a white Subaru with his mate and they fled.
Police watched CCTV footage as part of the investigation, which the court heard showed Ridley was also hit.
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