Talifolaukovi Kinikini, 48, was charged with domestic assault after a "sustained and unprovoked" attack.

On February 4, the victim was asleep on the floor of his bedroom, with the door closed but not locked.

Kinikini came in, stood over him, and woke him by punching and kicking him in the back and stomach.

The sustained assault continued even after a woman, another housemate, came in and told Kinikini to stop.

Kinikini swore at her in Tongan, threw an iron at her, and continued punching and kicking the man in the ribs.

At one point, he picked the man up by the pants and dropped him on the floor.

The attack stopped when Kinikini went to the shops.

The victim lay in bed and cried until morning, when he enlisted the help of a friend to take him to hospital, police say.

Due to his level of pain, he was unable to give police a statement at the time, however provided one at a later date.

Kinikini was arrested the next day and charged at the police station.

On Wednesday, his legal representative William Glowrie said he wouldn't "waste the court's time" by going into the cultural issues at play.

He said Kinikini was under ongoing financial pressure, and he went home that night "tired and underappreciated" after having someone "mouth off" at him.

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Mr Glowrie said Kinikini had made attempts to make amends for his actions.

"He spent the night by the victims side, while he was crying, to make sure he was OK," Mr Glowrie explained.

He told the court Kinikini was upset because of rumours circulating he was being paid more money than anyone else on the fruit picking farms in the MIA.

Yet Magistrate Joy Boulos said it was very serious criminal conduct, being a "sustained, unprovoked attack" on a sleeping man.

"You don't attack someone the way you did," she said to Kinikini.

"And because of a rumour ... the community needs to know this behaviour will not be tolerated under any circumstance.

"Your only saving grace is your plea of guilty at the first available opportunity, and the fact this is your first time before this court."

He was convicted of the assault charge, fined $150, and was placed on a community corrections order for one year.