THE man accused of allegedly assaulting a Montclair resident in September last year pleaded guilty to an attempted murder charge on Tuesday, 10 February in Durban Regional Court.

William Joubert (23) pleaded guilty to assaulting Mark Lotter on 20 September 2014. The assault took place at a shop in Montclair, after Lotter decided to visit his ex-girlfriend’s family.

Lotter was asked to leave his ex-girlfriend’s home and Joubert allegedly went after Lotter who was on Kenyon Howden Road, where a scuffle ensued in a parking lot. The fight continued into a shop, where Lotter was repeatedly kicked in the head and beaten. In an article in the Sun soon after the assault, Mark’s condition was described as non-responsive.

Lotter’s father Dean, says his son’s condition hasn’t changed much. “Mark is moving around and going for speech therapy. He is semi-paralysed.” In reaction to Tuesday’s court proceedings, Dean said: “My feelings towards William will never change. He’s turned my son into a child. Mark spoke better when he was five-years-old,” said Dean. The case has been postponed to Monday, 23 March for sentencing, pending a correctional services report. Joubert will be assessed by a psychologist and social worker before sentencing.

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