A Central Coast pizza shop owner who said he was protecting an employee when he fatally punched another man outside a hotel has been found guilty of assault causing death.
George Habkouk, 51, did not deny he punched Haydn Butcher, 30, in the head outside the Lakes Hotel at The Entrance in the early hours of January 1, 2018. Mr Butcher fell to the ground, fractured his skull and died in hospital the next day.
George Habkouk outside the Downing Centre on Thursday.Credit:AAP
But Habkouk's lawyers argued he was acting in defence of himself or another after watching a female employee get "coat-hangered" by Mr Butcher moments earlier.
The NSW District Court was told Mr Butcher was ejected from the hotel at about 10.30pm on December 31, 2017 and lingered near the building until about 1am.
Mr Habkouk arrived at the hotel at about 11.30pm with a group of people including three employees from his pizza restaurant. While inside, one of his employees – Charlene Easton – was punched in the face by the ex-boyfriend of a woman who was drinking with them.
Died in 2018: One-punch victim Haydn Butcher.Credit:Facebook
The court heard Ms Easton went outside, saw her attacker and began to run towards him, but was stopped abruptly when Mr Butcher walked into her path and put out his arm in a move known as a "coat-hanger".
Ms Easton later said she thought she had been knocked out for several seconds by the blow.
Mr Butcher, who was not the man who originally punched Ms Easton, was asked by a security guard why he threw his arm out. He responded: "I was just mucking around".
Prosecutors said Habkouk had followed Ms Easton outside and saw her interaction with Mr Butcher. He went up to Mr Butcher and struck him in the head with a closed fist, causing him to fall back and hit his head resulting in a loud crack.
Habkouk was found guilty by a jury on Thursday. It was the second time the case proceeded to trial after a jury in March 2019 was unable to reach a verdict.
Habkouk's supporters in the public gallery gasped and wiped their faces when the verdict was delivered.
In the first trial, prosecutor Paul Lynch said the actions of Mr Butcher had not been proper but if Habkouk was so concerned about what he'd seen he could have asked security to call police.
Mr Lynch said the interaction between Mr Butcher and Ms Easton had finished and Ms Easton was walking away when the fatal punch was thrown. He described the punch as "payback time".
Habkouk will return to court for sentencing on April 3.
Georgina Mitchell is a court reporter for The Sydney Morning Herald.
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