A Chinese national who attacked a Falun Gong member at Canberra's Floriade festival last year has apologised to his victim in person after he was sentenced in the ACT Magistrates Court today.
Kang Zhao, 30, was charged with assault, defacing anti-Chinese Communist Party signs on the victim's car, and damaging her phone.
The car was owned by Nancy Dong, a member of the Falun Gong religious movement, which is opposed to the Chinese Communist Party.
Zhao pleaded guilty to all offences.
The court heard the assault happened when a scuffle broke out after Zhao sprayed paint on the signs.
His lawyer, James Maher, told the court his client had seen the signs as an affront to his homeland, and he had acted out of national pride, but was now embarrassed and sorry for his actions.
The incident happened in October last year, but Zhao was not arrested until December when he tried to leave Australia after his business had failed due to COVID-19.
Two other people were caught up in the incident, including Zhao's wife who is now back in China.
The court heard after the signs were damaged, a scuffle then broke out when Zhao took Ms Dong's phone, prompting her to grab the jacket and handbag of Zhao's wife.
During the tussle, all three fell to the ground, with Ms Dong's phone damaged in the process.
Zhao apologises to victim, admitting the hurt he caused
Today, Ms Dong read out an emotional victim impact statement in the court, which was translated by an interpreter.
In it, Ms Dong said the incident continued to have an impact on her.
"I can get nervous easily, and have developed insomnia. I never had these problems before," she told the court.
Ms Dong also described her history in China, where she said she was sent to a labour camp for practising Falun Gong.
"More than a dozen policemen broke into my home at midnight and took both me and my husband away," she said.
"Our nine-year-old daughter was left at home with no one taking care of her."
Magistrate James Lawton noted Zhao had spent 15 days in jail when he was first arrested.
Magistrate Lawton imposed $3,000 in fines on Zhao, saying a good behaviour order would be pointless given he planned to return to China shortly.
In a statement released after the sentence today, Zhao said he was deeply remorseful.
"I am grateful for his honour's findings that I acted excessively to protect my wife and her property in relation to the common assault," Zhao said.
"This is a big lesson, and something I take very seriously."
Zhao has been given 28 days to pay the fine.
