A sheriff’s officer couldn’t catch him after Judge Paul Lakatos dismissed his severity appeal and suggested the four months’ jail magistrate Tony Murray had imposed was lenient.

Furner said: “No, I did nothing wrong”. He then evaded the officer and sprinted for the door.

His mother, Karen Lee Hudson, then told the judge: “Your honour, you got it all wrong, mate.”

Judge Lakatos issued a warrant for Furner’s arrest, but gave Furner until 10am to hand himself in.

Furner, his mother and other family members went to a dam on a property in Shaw Street, Lavington, in August to test an electric toy boat.

They ignored signs about trespassing. When landowners asked them to leave Hudson, 48, argued with a woman, abused her and grabbed and ripped her shirt.

Furner, 22, punched the woman’s partner to the right eye.

Mr Murray said when sentencing that Furner had a 39-page criminal history.

He was told the family was moving to Queensland and said it could be the best thing for them and the community.

Solicitor Michael Bladwell yesterday asked for a suspended sentence allowing Furner to move interstate.

Judge Lakatos said Furner had claimed he had retaliated with a slap when pushed twice.

“There is, in my view, no remorse,” Judge Lakatos, indicating he did not accept it was a slap.

“His version of events is not consistent with the (guilty) plea.”

Judge Lakatos said getting involved in a confrontation on a private property heaped one mistake on another.

“I can see no error in what the learned magistrate did,” he said.”