A burnout competition at the Wangaratta Speedway was meant to be a way for drivers to legally have some fun spinning the wheels of their cars, until Christopher Allard came along.
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The Wodonga man attended the event at Wangaratta Speedway on December 2, 2016 and started causing trouble when he stepped in as a couple was having a loud argument on the sidelines.
When a man tried to move him away, Allard grabbed his singlet and punched him in the face, leaving the man unconscious for two minutes.
The victim refused treatment from paramedics, but later went to Wangaratta hospital with a broken jaw.
Magistrate Stella Stuthridge rejected Allard’s story he “palmed” rather than punched the victim.
“It’s unlikely to be palming if it breaks a jaw,” she said.
Allard appeared in Wangaratta Magistrates Court on Thursday to plead guilty to charges including recklessly causing injury and reckless conduct endangering injury.
The court heard that after the assault, Allard bought an old Ford Sedan for $150, which had been driven by one of the participants in the burnout competition.
He had not paid an entry fee himself, but at 10.35pm he decided to force his way onto the track anyway.
Allard drove for 150 metres before performing a burnout at about 60 kilometres per hour.
Police prosecutor Leading Senior Constable Penny Lawler said Allard then sped towards the entry gates and conducted two “doughnuts”, which sent dust through the air.
“It was very dangerous due to the proximity of the crowd and the accused wouldn’t have been able to see,” she said.
“People in the crowd were in fear of being hit or killed because he was not in control.”
Allard left the car at the South Wangaratta Reserve next door and ran away, but police located and arrested him later in the night.
Solicitor Mario Vaccaro said he understood the crimes were serious.
He said Allard suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder and had stopped taking his medication before the incident.
Allard is also facing serious changes in NSW and is due to face trial in April after spending four months on remand last year before being released on bail.
Magistrate Stella Stuthridge placed him on an 18-month community corrections order with the condition he complete 100 hours of unpaid work or mental health and offending behaviour programs.
