A father-of-five has been fined after being found guilty of assaulting beloved Sydney campaigner and campaigner Danny Lim during an appearance on the fiery and sometimes bizarre Count.
At Burwood Local Court on Monday, Ming Wiseman, 66, launched a series of accusations against prosecutors and police, accusing them of framing him, and against Lim of accusing him of inflicting his own injuries, following an altercation at the station. train from Strathfield on September 22. last year.
However, Magistrate Vivien Swain found that Wiseman was not acting in self-defence during the incident after he was seen angrily approaching Mr Lim in the station lobby.
Lim, well known in Sydney for his sports posters promoting peace, positivity and progressive political causes, was taken to Concord Hospital following the attack.
The court heard Lim suffered a red mark on his left eye after being punched by Wiseman while campaigning for a Yes vote in the Voice referendum.
Ming Wiseman (pictured) has been found guilty of assaulting activist Danny Lim during an altercation at a train station last September.
Wiseman was arrested at a Homebush West home the following week and charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm.
He pleaded not guilty and told the court that Lim, then 79, was the attacker.
But he was found guilty after a hearing on Monday.
CCTV played in court showed Wiseman entering the station doors, leaving his bag and shopping trolley, before becoming involved in a heated argument and pointing at Mr Lim, who was carrying a sandwich board.
Lim told the court in his testimony that he heard someone approaching him from behind insulting him before backing into a wall.
Police prosecutors admitted that Lim kicked Wiseman and tried to punch him.
Swain discovered that Wiseman punched Lim in the face in the ensuing melee.
“He hit him with his right fist,” Lim, wearing sunglasses and a football jacket, told the court, adding that he was hit above his left eye.
Police body-worn footage captured Wiseman being detained by police a short time later.
“I didn’t punch him and he went first,” Wiseman told officers in courtside footage.
During Wiseman’s interrogation of Mr Lim, he accused him of inflicting his own injuries.
“How did my eye bleed so much?” Mr Lim asked.
“You did it to yourself,” Wiseman said.
‘How can I hit myself?’ Mr Lim responded sharply.
Danny Lim was taken to hospital after the altercation at the station.
Lim was not charged with any crime in connection with the attack.
On social media, Wiseman promotes his own political party, Enjoy Share Party.
And in court Monday, Wiseman accused Lim of being a “disgrace to the Chinese community.”
Lim, however, noted that he had been in Australia for 61 years and was a citizen for 50 years.
Wiseman said he was angered by some of Lim’s posters criticizing the government and police, including an earlier poster that read “CVN’T Police.”
However, Lim denied that they were offensive.
“Have you ever had a sign saying the police suck?” Magistrate Swain asked Mr Lim during his evidence.
“It’s CVN’T,” Mr Lim responded.
Wiseman admitted he was angry when he approached Lim, but denied attacking him, calling the accusations an attempt to “frame” him. The police prosecutor denied these claims.
Danny Lim (pictured) was accused by his attacker of being a “disgrace to the Chinese community” during intense scenes in court on Monday.
At one point, Ms. Swain had to ask Wiseman not to shout while giving her testimony, as her testimony sometimes became heated.
The court heard Lim and Wiseman had been involved in another verbal argument at Strathfield station on the day of the incident.
And when the police prosecutor suggested that his only motive in approaching Lim was to attack him, Wiseman replied: “That’s your imagination, you should be a movie director.”
Ms Swain discovered that Wiseman was the aggressor and that he had hit Mr Lim.
“I am satisfied that there is no reasonable possibility that his conduct was necessary to defend himself,” she said.
Wiseman was found guilty and fined $200.
Swain also lodged an 18-month AVO against Wiseman to protect Lim.
Danny Lim is known in Sydney for campaigning for peace and love in the community.