Ziggy Kennedy initially was reluctant to be assessed for a community service order when he appeared before magistrate Rodney Brender.

But on being told this was a way to avoid a non-jail option, he went with a Community Corrections officer for a chat.

The 21-year-old returned to Albury Local Court a short while later to be ordered to undertake 150 hours of unpaid work, having pleaded guilty to assault.

Police withdrew a more serious charge of assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

Maksymow, a player with the Henty football club, was given a 14-month intensive corrections order for his role in the fight outside Sweethearts pizza restaurant in Dean Street back on April 14.

He had pleaded guilty to affray.

The court was told this week that Kennedy had a previous conviction for assault actual bodily harm and was a “known associate” of Maksymow.

Kennedy’s victim had not long finished work, about 4am, when the melee started, with Maksymow throwing punches before being dragged away by a man who worked at Sweethearts. This man called police then saw Makysmow had not calmed down, so grabbed him again.

Soon after, the victim saw Kennedy approach him from the side.

Kennedy then raised his right fist and swung at the victim, hitting in to the left temple area.

Police arrived and gave chase to Kennedy and Maksymow, who ran across a car park. When they caught Kennedy he abused them and said he ran because “I don’t trust yas.”