The story behind why a dad, described by his family as "a large teddy bear", assaulted a man in a Braddon restaurant "is almost like describing a soap opera," a lawyer has said.
Jamie Robert Brack, 58, was at EightySix restaurant in Braddon, in November 2022, when he spotted the man his daughter-in-law is said to have had an affair with.
Brack, from Yass, previously pleaded guilty to one count of common assault.
Agreed facts, tendered to the ACT Magistrates Court on Friday, state that while the victim was sitting at a table, Brack raised his arm and struck his face with an open palm.
This caused the victim to fall from the chair onto the ground.
"[The victim], confused and disoriented, struggles to gain awareness," agreed facts of the case state.
Brack then grabs the other man by the shirt, pins him to the ground, and says words to the effect of: "You ruined our family, my son's future is ruined".
When staff from the restaurant tried to separate the pair, Brack continued to hold onto the victim causing his shirt to rip.
The facts state the victim "feared for his safety" and grabbed a two litre glass bottle of wine from a nearby table and prepared to strike Brack.
However, staff immediately took the bottle from his hand and the two men were separated.
In court on Friday, defence lawyer Tiffany Wilken said "to provide context is almost like describing a soap opera".
She said shortly before the assault it had been revealed Brack's daughter-in-law had began an affair with her boss.
Ms Wilken told the court Brack's family was "deeply hurt by the betrayal".
The defence lawyer stated that while she was "in no way placing blame at the victim's feet", it did explain why "a man who is described by his family as being a large teddy bear" committed the crime.
"[Brack] made a split second decision to push him," Ms Wilken said.
Prosecutor Taden Kelliher described the assault as "not a Days of Our Lives saga".
"It was a cowardly, blindsided attack," Mr Kelliher said.
The prosecutor urged for Brack to be sentenced to time behind bars, saying the experience "would be somewhat terrifying given that it came out of nowhere".
Magstrate Glenn Theakston sentenced Brack to a 12-month good behaviour order and fined him $1200.
"There is some bad blood between the two men," Mr Theakston said.
