HAMLYN Terrace man George Denadija has pleaded not guilty to assaulting three former colleagues, including two occasions on which he allegedly burned another man with a lit cigarette.
The 57-year-old builder faces a total of nine assault-related charges going back to the start of 2021, and involving three former colleagues/work associates.
Police say the first assault, subject to one count of assault occasioning actual bodily harm, took place in June and allegedly involved Mr Denadija burning a man on the arm with a lit cigarette.
He is accused of the same type of assault on the same man in August, 2021, as well as hitting him with an open hand to the back of the head in March, 2021.
Mr Denadija allegedly pushed a second man, causing him to lose his footing and fall into a gyprock wall, then of pushing him again on another occasion, causing him to again lose his balance and fall onto the ground.
He is also charged with intimidating that man, causing him to fear for his safety in the months between January and August, 2021.
Police say Mr Denadija also assaulted a third man in what they described as something "like an attempted spear tackle" in mid-March, 2021.
The allegation is that he put his left arm under the man's left armpit, pushing him into a wall, then grabbing his legs and trying to put him on the ground.
Mr Denadija made no appearance at Kurri Kurri Local Court on Tuesday where an agent for his solicitor entered pleas of not guilty on his behalf to all nine charges. An estimated three-hour hearing is scheduled to take place on August 10.
