Court fines footballer for headbutt
AN Apollo Bay footballer yesterday had a $1000 fine added to the suspension he copped last year for headbutting an opponent.
Tyler Jones, 27, appeared in Geelong Magistrates’ Court yesterday, a year after his onfield indiscretion against Lorne.
The court heard it was late in the final quarter, and Lorne was heading towards a win at home when a scuffle broke out between the teams.
During the tussle Jones headbutted an opponent to the bridge of the nose, and was reported.
The court heard the victim left the field bleeding, and needed three stitches and corrective surgery for his injury. “Things became heated on the football field and went too far.”
Magistrate Cynthia Toose heard Jones was also bleeding after the fracas, believing he had been jumper punched, but was immediately apologetic and had “owned his actions from the beginning”.
He pleaded guilty at the Colac and District Football League tribunal that week and was banned from playing the next six games.
His lawyer said the man also tracked down Lorne’s coach after the game, asked for the victim’s phone number and sent the man a text message of apology.
However, the victim did not reply, and later reported the matter to police, the court heard.
Jones, who had no prior convictions, co-operated with officers, admitting he acted inappropriately in a game where emotions were heightened by the fierce rivalry between the coastal teams, his lawyer said.
“Things became heated on the football field and went too far,” Ms Toose observed.
As a senior player, Jones needed to be mindful of how his actions were perceived by junior football followers, the magistrate said.
On a count of recklessly causing injury Jones was fined $1000 without conviction.
MAGISTRAT E CYNTHIA TOOSE