A man has been sent to prison for more than two years for assaulting a 91-year-old in Perth's south.
Rockingham Magistrates Court was told the assault unfolded when the man's eight-year-old son hit the elderly man as he sat in the passenger seat of a car outside a yacht club in August last year.
The father then joined his son at the car, punching the man several times and causing serious injuries to his eye.
The victim, named Peter, had just been at the Cruising Yacht Club in Rockingham where the man, who had his two children with him, had acted aggressively after being refused service for being intoxicated.
The court was told the 91-year-old was sitting in the car with a friend who was about to drive him home, when the boy started attacking him without provocation.
The victim suffered bruising, swelling and a split eyelid.
Police forced to carry attacker to van
His assailant went home in a taxi with his two children.
The court was told that after arriving home, the man hit the taxi several times and yelled at the driver.
The damage bill for the taxi was $700.
The police prosecutor told the court that when officers arrived at the home, the man was "highly intoxicated".
When they tried to arrest him, he lay on the ground and police were forced to lift him into the van.
He "resisted police at every opportunity", she told the court, and he was spitting and swearing at officers while in custody.
Attacker had 'limited recollection' of assault
The man's lawyer said his client was "at a loss" as to how the events came about, saying he had "limited recollection" of the events but accepted he'd had a "substantial amount of drinks".
He was also "at a loss to explain as to how his son became involved" and believed he "misread the situation" at the parked car.
The man, who is now 38, pleaded guilty to assault causing bodily harm, criminal damage, obstructing public officers, disorderly behaviour in a police station or lock-up and failing to give personal details.
Magistrate Elizabeth Langdon said while the man had expressed remorse, his plea regarding the assault was a late one, being entered on the first day of the scheduled trial earlier this month.
She said he had raised his fist at the bar manager at the yacht club before a "vicious" and "disgusting" attack on an elderly member of the community.
"You were not a good father on this particular night," Magistrate Langdon told him.
She said the elderly needed the care and protection of others and it was "difficult to imagine a more vulnerable victim".
She said the man suffered both physical injuries and emotional trauma.
His impact statement showed he had gone from being a social man to one who felt "empty" and now felt anxious when he went out.
The court heard his assailant had prior convictions related to traffic, weapons and drugs offences, and an assault.
Daughter satisfied with sentence
Outside court, the victim's daughter, Debbie Ballard, said she was pleased with the sentence.
"We didn't think he was actually going to get any time at all," she said.
"It's going to be a relief to see my dad and tell him the bloke's gone away and he doesn't have to worry so much."
Ms Ballard said her father was now fearful.
"He's quite afraid, he uses humour to sort of get through, but quite honestly, I think he suffers quite a lot of anxiety.
"He used to go out quite a lot, say every Friday night and then on other occasions as well, they'd all go out together.
"They do go out but not as often, and he's a different person altogether."
Ms Ballard said she could not fathom the behaviour of the eight-year-old.
"I've worked with kids for over nearly 30 years, never seen anything like that before."
She said she felt for the man's children.
Ms Ballard's friend Margaret Bradley said intoxication was no excuse.
"Any substance abuse is no excuse for an assault of that severity that causes a very frail, elderly man to be in the predicament he is now."
Magistrate Langdon handed down a sentence of two years and three months, and made the 38-year-old eligible for parole.
He spent several weeks in custody after the August incident.
