Warrnambool man, 21, admits assaulting another man at city night spot

A magistrate said it was "but for the luck of God" the victim did not suffer serious head injuries.

He said the now 21-year-old offender could have faced a long-term jail sentence for a "one punch attack".

Instead, the man, who The Standard has chosen not to name because a conviction was not recorded, was fined $1000.

He pleaded guilty in Warrnambool Magistrates Court on Monday, September 18.

The court heard he attended Warrnambool's Seanchai Irish Pub with a family member on April 8, 2023 and was denied entry by security due to having a lifetime ban.

There was verbal abuse and the family member assaulted the venue manager who was filming the tirade.

When security staff intervened, the man pushed one of them to the right shoulder, causing him to stumble backwards.

He then struck a random person exiting the venue to the upper chest and neck area with an open hand.

The male victim fell to the ground, suffering a sore wrist.

The court heard the man had previously been placed on an adjourned undertaking for an unrelated assault at a party the year before.

The man's lawyer said alcohol misuse was an issue but her client had since made strides in his rehabilitation.

She said the man was an amateur boxer and the sport had been good for his mental health.

But magistrate Simon Guthrie said the man being involved in a combat sport made the offending even more concerning.

"Quite frankly this is appalling," he said.

In sentencing, the magistrate accepted the man was a youthful offender who had entered an early guilty plea.

"What you don't want to do is come back before the court again," he said.

"The greatest strength is to simply walk away."

When asked about the life-time ban from the nightspot, the man's lawyer said he didn't know it was place.

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