Sydney council candidate Victor Tagg pleads guilty to assaulting Ryde Mayor Bill Pickering

Sydney council candidate Victor Tagg has pleaded guilty to assaulting Ryde Mayor Bill Pickering at a by-election earlier this year.

Independent Mr Tagg attended a Sydney court today to face the charge after he allegedly struck 52-year-old Mr Pickering at Putney Public School, in the city’s northwest, on February 22.

The pair were attending a ward by-election for which Mr Tagg was a candidate.

Mr Pickering said he was handing out sandwiches and thanking volunteers when he became aware of a couple being berated. He began talking to them before allegedly being confronted by Mr Tagg.

Mr Pickering said he only just saw the punch coming at the last minute.

“It was too late to react,” he said.

Mr Tagg, the former Ryde mayor, initially denied the allegation.