Korrie James Cumberland, 21, was fined $250 and handed a 15-month good behaviour order when he faced the ACT Magistrates Court over the incident on Thursday.

The Duffy man had previously pleaded guilty to charges of affray and property damage.

Court documents show Cumberland, an apprentice carpenter, had a text message argument with a Fisher man and his sister on a Sunday afternoon in January 2021.

Cumberland became "irate" when the sister called him in an attempt to de-escalate the situation, and he was heard on the phone saying: "Alright boys, let's go".

Three cars, one of which contained Cumberland, quickly turned up at the victim's home.

Cumberland took a baseball bat to the back of the victim's Nissan Patrol, prompting the other man to invite the 21-year-old to have what was described as "an amicable fight".

One of Cumberland's friends, Jake Blackburn, 23, became involved at this point, pushing the victim down a set of stairs and dragging him into a garden bed.

Cumberland then threw several punches at the victim's head and missed, but Blackburn connected with two blows of his own.

When the victim's mother tried to intervene by dragging Cumberland away, the 21-year-old struck her.

The fight continued in a bush, where Blackburn also punched the victim's mother.

The victim's sister brandished a pocket knife throughout the altercation in an attempt to deter Blackburn and Cumberland, but the latter put her in a headlock to disarm her before the former threw her to the ground.

The pair took off after Blackburn had pointed the knife at the victim, leaving police to find the damaged car and the victim's "hysterical" mother, who had a swollen and bruised face.

Cumberland represented himself on Thursday, telling the court he had distanced himself from former friends like Blackburn, who was "not the best type of person".

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He said he no longer talked to anyone but his brothers, which was "a little bit sad" although it meant he stayed out of trouble.

A prosecutor told the court Cumberland had instigated the incident, and noted the 21-year-old had been subject to a good behaviour order for other offending at the time in question.

He said it was encouraging, however, that Cumberland had not been charged with any further offences in the almost 18 months since the Fisher fight.

Magistrate Louise Taylor referred to this fact as she imposed the fine and good behaviour order, saying Cumberland appeared to have "carved out a path" towards rehabilitation.

She said he was held in high regard by his employer, who had written a reference and described him as someone with "a tremendous work ethic".

Ms Taylor contemplated a sentence involving community service, but she decided against one because she thought it might interfere with Cumberland's work commitments.

"Don't come back," she told Cumberland.

The court heard Blackburn had previously been jailed over his involvement in the incident.

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