Indigenous leader fined over feud

A Pilbara Aboriginal leader who is a member of the WA Aboriginal Advisory Council has been heavily fined over two charges stemming from fights with members of a feuding family.

Troy Ashley Eaton appeared in the Karratha Magistrate’s Court last week charged with disorderly behaviour in public and assault occasioning bodily harm.

The charges stem from two separate incidents in the same week between Eaton’s family and another family they are in dispute with.

He was convicted of disorderly behaviour for his role in a fist fight between family members on February 1 in the Karratha City shopping centre carpark outside Coles.

Security guards had to break up the fight.

Eaton was convicted of assault occasioning bodily harm for an incident in the same carpark several days later when he approached a female member of the other family and struck her face using the palm of his hand.

Eaton pleaded guilty to both charges.

His Aboriginal Legal Service lawyer told the court Eaton was a member of several boards, including the WA Aboriginal Advisory Council and his local language group, and also managed a pastoral lease on behalf of three traditional owner groups.

His lawyer told the court the ongoing feud between the families had come to a head in this particular week, and Eaton had since come to an agreement with a key member to stay out of each others’ way.

Magistrate Richard Huston said he was disappointed to see a local indigenous leader who young people looked up to behaving in this way.

Eaton was fined $2000 for both offences combined.