An inner west café owner has been hauled before court for his alleged involvement in a violent brawl involving a baseball bat and machete, The Daily Telegraph reports.
Chris Tziomakis, who formerly owned the beloved Frappe cafes in Earlwood and Concord, allegedly armed himself with the bat while his mate had the blade in the two versus three melee.
He appeared in the Supreme Court last week on charges of affray and armed with intent to commit an indictable offence and was released on bail.
The alleged incident dates back to June 25, the court heard.
The 32-year-old from Bardwell Park allegedly visited a Kogarah business around 2pm and approached a woman with whom he has an unknown history, the court heard.
She “took umbrage” with his presence, the court heard, and told him to “get out of here”, before he returned with verbal abuse.
She then allegedly approached the car and punched Tziomakis, breaking his nose, the court heard.
He left the scene but returned some time later with a baseball bat and a friend armed with a machete, it is alleged.
The court was told the pair confronted the woman, but were soon outnumber two-to-three when the woman’s partner and a male employee arrived.
It is alleged a tussle ensued and Tziomakis lost the baseball bat, before getting beaten with it as he lay on the ground, the court heard.
“It seems that the original female assailant, her partner and employees were able to get the better of Mr Tziomakis,” Justice Stephen Campbell said.
“(He) couldn’t strike a blow with the baseball bat … and it was used against him.”
The court heard his friend with the machete ran off.
All those allegedly involved in the brawl, which was captured on CCTV, have been charged, the court heard, and are before Sutherland Local Court.
His barrister Ben Barrack told the court that although he was armed with a weapon, he didn’t use it, which reduced the seriousness of the offence.
There is “no suggestion he used the baseball bat or threatened violence with the baseball bat,” Mr Barrack said.
He also said he “came off worse” in both confrontations.
Mr Barrack told the court he is expected to plead not guilty to the offences on Wednesday, when his matter returns to Sutherland Local Court.
But Justice Stephen Campbell said instead of calling the police after he was punched in the face, he returned armed.
Tziomakis was granted bail on the condition he move to the regional town of Parkes to live with his cousin and not contact the other persons involved.
*This article was updated.
