A man has been banned from the Warrnambool CBD for a year after an afternoon of drinking with friends which ended with him verbally abusing and assaulting police.
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David Russell, 40, of Raglan Parade, Warrnambool, pleaded guilty in the Warrnambool Magistrates Court to two counts of assaulting police, being drunk in a public place, refusing to leave a licensed premises when asked, using indecent language, behaving in an offensive manner and being disruptive in police cells.
On July 31, Russell had been drinking with friends at the Whalers Hotel for three hours when at 6.45pm he and another man were asked by management to leave but they refused.
Police were called and as his friend was put in the police divisional van, Russell was verbally abusive and made threats to police.
Russell then ran from police but was caught on the corner of Kepler and Lava streets where he was arrested.
Despite being handcuffed Russell continued to struggle with police and push himself against officers while being loaded into the divisional van.
While travelling to the Warrnambool police station Russell also kicked the walls of the van and while in the cells was verbally abusive to police.
Russell has no prior convictions.
Defense counsel Pat McComish said the behaviour of his client was "totally out of character" and Russell was genuinely remorseful and ashamed of what had happened.
Magistrate Jonathan Klestadt said the court would not see this type of behaviour towards police as anything other than extremely serious.
Russell was convicted and received an aggregate fine of $1000 and placed on an exclusion order which bans him from the CBD from 10pm to 6am for a year.
