Melbourne Pizza Mogul Avoids Jail After Neighbour Dispute

The founder of a Melbourne pizza chain has avoided jail after pleading guilty to assaulting his neighbours.

Milan Mandic, the 50-year-old founder of Pinky's Pizza, was today handed a 12-month sentence, suspended for 18 months, in the Victorian County Court.

He had pleaded guilty to charges of recklessly causing serious injury, and of common law assault. Judge Barbara Cotterell said on December 29, 2004, Mandic's Endeavour Hills' neighbour Kathleen Miller and her daughter called Mandic's teenage daughters sluts and prostitutes, and accused them of giving "head jobs".

Mandic observed the altercation from the balcony of his home, before going next door and arming himself with a piece of aluminium, where Ms Miller's son was armed with a baseball bat,

Judge Cotterell said. Ms Miller was then struck on the head with the piece of aluminium, causing a gash that required 14 stitches. Jason Miller was also struck by Mandic, the judge said, but noted that Mandic received the most serious injury - a deep laceration to the head which exposed bone and caused a mild concussion - when Mr Miller hit him with the baseball bat.

Judge Cotterell said the incident was a culmination of two years of harassment, of which Mandic's family was not the instigator.

In sentencing, Judge Cotterell noted Mandic's contribution to the community as a successful businessman who was dedicated to his family. "On the evidence, you have reacted to a situation which at times has been intolerable,'' Judge Cotterell said. She said Mandic had armed himself spontaneously, because he believed there was a threat to his personal safety.