Murray Magpies co-coach Brad Thompson has been charged with serious assault offences over the alleged bashing of another man.
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Police arrested the 40-year-old last Sunday, on December 10, following the violent incident just after midnight earlier that morning.
Wodonga Detective Senior Constable Justin Foots said Thompson’s ex-partner had called him earlier in the night because her current boyfriend had been banging on the windows of her home.
The man claimed he was just trying to wake her up, but his actions had startled the woman and her 10-year-old daughter inside.
On his way to the house, Thompson and the victim crossed paths on Beechworth Road and pulled over.
Detective Foots said Thompson allegedly assaulted the victim through the car window, then stole his keys and mobile phone.
“The victim says he was punched and kicked – one kick and a flurry of punches,” he said. “The victim has pleaded for his keys back.”
Police said Thompson threw the keys back at the car before leaving the scene. The man suffered a fractured eye socket and a deep gash above his right eye.
He drove himself to Wodonga hospital after the alleged assault and was transferred to Albury hospital for surgery.
“We’ll be alleging he disposed of the phone in the Murray River,” Detective Foots said.
Thompson was charged with intentionally causing serious injury, recklessly causing serious injury, robbery and making threats to kill and was released on bail.
He briefly appeared in Wodonga Magistrates’ Court last week for a filing hearing.
Dressed in black jeans and a black polo shirt, Thompson said nothing during the short court proceedings.
His bail was extended and the case was adjourned until March 8 for a committal mention, before it is likely to be transferred up to the County Court if a magistrate finds there to be enough evidence.
Thompson spent 2016 playing football with the Murray Magpies before returning to Melbourne club Old Ivanhoe Grammarians this year.
The Magpies announced in October he would return to the club in 2018 as co-coach alongside former Wodonga teammate Phil Packer.
It was unclear if he also planned to play on the field next season.