A Summernats attendee has admitted breaking another man's jaw during a burnout show at the popular car festival in January.
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Gosford man Karawera Te Kaitahi Mangu Rerekura, 28, faced the ACT Magistrates Court via telephone on Monday and pleaded guilty to a charge of causing grievous bodily harm.
After he entered the plea, prosecutor Lauren Knobel withdrew a more serious charges of recklessly inflicting grievous bodily harm.
Ms Knobel told the court a disputed facts hearing would be required to resolve "a very niche issue", which revolved around whether Rerekura had been provoked.
While the facts surrounding the offence are yet to be determined, police previously alleged Rerekura punched the victim after a dispute about seats at Summernats.
In documents previously tendered to the court, police said the victim, his girlfriend and a friend went to take seats offered to them by someone leaving the burnout show.
As the victim got up to accept the empty chairs, some other people sat in them and words were exchanged before the newly seated group began to insult the victim's group.
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The victim was then punched in the jaw by Rerekura.
The offender was originally refused bail after failing to show up to court and running away from NSW Police when they came to his home with an arrest warrant on April 11.
Rerekura subsequently appeared in court in a wheelchair after spraining his ankle when he tried to flee, in what his lawyer, Anastasia Qvist, described as a "stupid act".
Magistrate Louise Taylor set the matter down for a disputed facts hearing for March 10 next year.
The full day was set aside after the court heard there would be seven prosecution witnesses and at least two defence witnesses.
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Olivia Ireland
Olivia is a reporter for the Canberra Times. She has covered federal politics and public sector, court and crime, local news, arts, education and business. Olivia started as an intern in August 2021 and began her career with the Times after completing her studies in November 2021.
Olivia is a reporter for the Canberra Times. She has covered federal politics and public sector, court and crime, local news, arts, education and business. Olivia started as an intern in August 2021 and began her career with the Times after completing her studies in November 2021.
