The Hobart DJ who admitted to headbutting former Prime Minister Tony Abbott has been sentenced to six months in prison, serving a minimum of two months.
Astro Labe, 38, has also been ordered to pay a $2,000 fine and commit no offence for two years.
He had been drinking with friends at a pub in Salamanca Place when he saw Abbott walking outside, the Magistrates court heard earlier this year.
He followed Abbott about 250 metres before asking if he could shake his hand. When Abbott extended his hand, Labe grabbed it and headbutted him, before running off and saying, “You fucking deserved it.”
Labe later told the ABC that he headbutted Abbott because he “didn’t think it was an opportunity I’d get again.”
Abbott suffered a slightly swollen bottom lip.
“Intentionally causing an ideological opponent harm is not how differences are to be addressed in our society,” said Deputy Chief Magistrate Michael Daly at the sentencing today, according to an ABC reporter.
Deputy Chief Magistrate Michael Daly says Astro Labe’s sentence for headbutting Mr Abbott needed to be a deterrent to others. “Intentionally causing an ideological opponent harm is not how differences are to be addressed in our society.” @abchobart
— Ellen Coulter (@ellencoulter) April 9, 2018
The magistrate has told Astro Labe that his opportunity to do Mr Abbott harm was created by a “cowardly deception”, in that Labe initially asked to shake Mr Abbott’s hand, before headbutting him. @abchobart
— Ellen Coulter (@ellencoulter) April 9, 2018
He had plead guilty in January this year to causing harm to a Commonwealth public official, which in the magistrates court carries a maximum sentence of two years in prison and a $25,000 fine.
The court heard he told police that he was “six out of ten” drunk at the time.
As part of his sentencing, he’ll be required to undergo drug and alcohol rehabilitation, and will be put on probation for 12 months after his release.
