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The Standard
SARAH SCOPELIANOS
October 23, 2007
A TEENAGER dressed in Gothic clothing and sporting heavy make-up was the target of a brutal assault captured on a video camera in Warrnambool.
The male victim was with his girlfriend on Liebig Street during Warrnambool’s Battle of the Bands competition in January when he was attacked, a court heard yesterday.
Nineteen-year-old “Jeremy” G. pleaded guilty in the Warrnambool Magistrates Court yesterday to two counts of intentionally causing injury.
Police prosecutor Acting Sergeant Mick Aitken said the victims were dressed in dark Gothic clothing and were singled out by the group of youths who taunted them outside the Bendigo Bank.
A member of the group filmed Mr G., of Eccles Lane, Purnim, as he headbutted the male in the head, splitting his lip.
The group returned to the Battle of the Bands and hours later approached the darkly dressed victims on Banyan Street.
Mr G. is alleged to have urged the male victim to fight and knocked the mobile phone out of his hand as he was trying to call police.
Acting Sergeant Aitken said police seized the video tape of the first assault and the victim needed hospital treatment for a black eye, bruises on his back and shoulders and a split lip.
Defence counsel Fergus McTaggart said his client mixed alcohol with his medication for depression on the night before the assaults and described the assaults as out of character.
Mr McTaggart did admit Mr G. followed the victim and “there was some sort of intent.”
Magistrate Michael Stone said it was lucky the defendant did not break the victim’s cheekbone because if he had he would have been charged with a greater offence and been before the County Court.
Mr Stone said it was a “line ball” whether to impose jail or a fine. Mr G. walked away with a $1000 fine without conviction.