Joshua and Michael Elsworth: Brothers who bashed Good Samaritan on Perth train warned they could be jailed

Two brothers who bashed a man coming to a woman’s aid on a train have been warned they could be jailed. Joshua, 40, and Michael Lee, 37, Ellsworth pleaded guilty in Perth Magistrates Court to common assault over an incident on a train in January. The court heard the brothers were intimidating a female passenger with Joshua “feigning” to punch the woman before his brother also struck out at her. Police Prosecutor Robert O’Neill said a man sitting adjacent to the woman tried to intervene. The brothers punched victim and stomped on his head three times. When the train stopped the pair left the carriage. Joshua Ellsworth did not have a lawyer when he appeared in court to plead guilty to one count of common assault. Magistrate Jennifer Hawkins listened to the facts of the case but stopped the hearing saying “this is extremely serious offending in a public setting”. She told the brothers they could be facing jail time and advised them to see a lawyer before she proceeded to sentence. The case was adjourned to April 15.