A magistrate has questioned why Wangaratta’s pubs are open until 5am – a time when drunken violence was prevalent in the community.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Magistrate John O’Callaghan said street violence had become “ugly” and compared Wangaratta to other cities with lockout laws.
“Sydney closes at 1.30am and Wangaratta’s 5am? That's extraordinary,” he said.
“I wonder who gets thirsty at 4am in the morning.”
Brothers Jack, 22, and Michael Steer, 21, had each other’s backs with violence when a night out drinking ended at McDonald’s at 6am on April 12 last year.
The Wanagaratta Magistrates’ Court heard the pair got into an argument with another man who was backed into a corner.
Police prosecutor Acting Sergeant Heath Dosser said Michael tried drag the victim off his chair by the legs then headbutt him.
Jack then jumped in and punched the man to the nose.
Both pleaded guilty to unlawful assault, but Mr O’Callaghan warned it could have been much worse.
“It’s very easy for a fight to turn into a tragedy,” he said.
“I have a desire to stamp out random, wanton violence in Wangaratta.
“It’s just a blight on the community.”
Mr O’Callaghan fined Jack $1000 and Michael $1500 because of his longer criminal history, but did not make him serve the six-month suspended jail sentence hanging over his head.
A feud between rival Ovens and King football players also went too far on December 20 when a man was knocked unconscious with an alleged “coward’s punch” inside Wangaratta’s Grand Central Hotel.
The victim, a Mliawa player, and another King Valley man were in a heated argument for the second time that night when Joel Bihun, 24, allegedly punched the victim to the face.
The man fell to the floor unconscious for 10 minutes.
Solicitor Paul Hickey said Bihun would claim self-defence, but Mr O’Callaghan warned he was facing a jail sentence.
“I don’t want to send young people to jail, but I also don’t want to see someone knocked to the ground unconscious for 10 minutes,” he said.
“I think he’s going to go down and I think he’s going to go to jail.”
The victim was seen by paramedics at the scene, but was found to have suffered concussion.
Mr Hickey said he had thrown a haymaker punch in the argument first.
“(Bihun) felt extremely threatened and scared by an extremely drunk, aggressive man,” he said.
But Bihun also allegedly punched another man outside the club because he felt threatened by someone hitting him on the back of the head as he left the building.
“It’s a great advertisement for late-night drinking in Wangaratta again,” Mr O’Callaghan said.
The magistrate said hotel closing times were a decision for others to make.
“One must wonder about hotels opening until 5am in the morning and the need for that,” he said.
“It’s not that Wangaratta people are sensitive, they just know what can happen.”