A RICHMOND Football Club supporter who got into a fight with other footy fans waiting to buy grand final tickets on Warrnambool's Liebig Street was yesterday released after spending 135 days in custody.
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Matthew Clifton, 37, of Mooroolbark, pleaded guilty in the Warrnambool Magistrates Court to recklessly causing injury and offensive behaviour.
He was sentenced to serve three months in prison, which he has already served.
On September 19 last year Clifton was walking the streets of Warrnambool late at night because he didn't have accommodation when he walked past people lined up waiting to buy AFL grand final tickets near Capricorn Records on Liebig Street.
Clifton then engaged in bizarre behaviour a number of times when he yelled insults and threats at the football supporters.
By 5.30am the next morning one fan was so sick of Clifton's abuse he climbed on the roof of his car with a megaphone and told Clifton to go away.
Clifton swung a blow at the man and knocked the megaphone from his grasp. The victim suffered a chipped tooth which cost $160 to repair.
Police, who were only 15 metres away when the incident happened, arrested Clifton.
The defendant was later that morning released on bail with the condition that he not attend the Warrnambool CBD, but he was arrested again at 11am in breach of that condition.
Clifton has prior court convictions, including ones for assault.
Defence counsel Danielle Svede said since being arrested Clifton had spent time in the Melbourne Assessment Prison, Thomas Embling mental health hospital and the Melbourne Remand Centre before coming back to Warrnambool for the court hearing.
She said Clifton was not taking medication at the time of his offending.
He had been visiting his sister in Warrnambool but she had kicked him out, which left him without accommodation.
Ms Svede claimed her client was called derogatory names by the victim and Clifton's intention had been to stop the victim using the megaphone.
Magistrate Ron Saines said serving 135 days in custody was a significant term and there would be no further penalty.
Clifton said he would be taking the first train out of Warrnambool back home to Mooroolbark.
Mr Saines questioned whether Clifton would be able to stay out of trouble for the three hours before the 5.14pm train left Warrnambool yesterday afternoon.
Clifton told the magistrate that would not be a problem as there were no Collingwood supporters hanging around on the streets of Warrnambool in February.
