‘WHITE KNIGHT’ VOWS TO FIGHT ASSAULT CHARGES
FINE DECLINED; ASSAULT CHARGES CONTESTED
FORMER Geelong horse breeder Bill Cockram, who tried to be a “white knight” by allegedly assaulting the exhusband of a female acquaintance, yesterday refused a magistrate’s offer to be fined for the incident.
Instead, Mr Cockram — who has not pleaded to two charges of unlawful assault — will return to court in December to contest the charges.
Police prosecutor Leading Senior Constable Kerrie Mo- roney told the court Mr Cockram, 44, allegedly punched Nathan Gordon “three or four” times and put him in a headlock after busting into a Bannockburn home on September 18 last year.
The court heard Mr Cockram was an acquaintance of Mr Gordon’s ex-wife but was not in a relationship with her.
It is alleged Mr Cockram said “Now you have to f---ing deal with me” as he pushed past Mr Gordon’s elderly mother when he burst into the home after 12.30pm.
As the pair wrestled it is al- leged Mr Cockram said to Mr Gordon: “Get up and fight, you weak dog.”
Sen-Constable Moroney said “the victim did not do or say anything” during the fight.
After the incident Mr Cockram drove his red Jeep to a nearby park, where he is alleged to have told Mr Gordon’s ex-wife: “You better call an ambulance, I just knocked him the f — k out”.
The court heard Mr Gordon’s ex-wife went to the Bannockburn house about an hour before the incident to confront him about his drug use.
Magistrate Steven Raleigh said Mr Cockram went to the house as a “white knight”.
“Mr Cockram decided he wanted to be a white knight to protect her,” Mr Raleigh said.
Mr Gordon told police he had a sore jaw for a few days after the incident which was not reported to police until December.
Mr Cockram denies punching Mr Gordon or putting him in a headlock and told police in an interview Mr Gordon charged at him.
His lawyer Ruth Parker told the court he was invited to the Bannockburn home by Mr Gordon’s ex-wife on the day of the incident.
In court yesterday after Mr Cockram was given time to consider a fine for the alleged assault, Ms Parker told the court her client did not want to accept it.
Two police officers and four members of the public may be called as witnesses at a contested hearing on December 10.
Mr Cockram is understood to have left the horse breeding industry more than a year ago following a marriage breakdown.