Chef ‘sucked in by the yahoo masses’
CELEBRITY chef George Calombaris has been convicted and handed a $1000 fine after he punched a young football fan after being “sucked in by the yahoo masses”, a court has heard.
Magistrate Peter Miszalski said it was a “tragedy” a man such as Calombaris had come “before the courts” in a situation where he was “sucked into the drama”. A video of the incident played to Sydney’s Downing Centre Local Court yesterday at the 39-year-old MasterChef judge’s sentencing hearing showed Calombaris lapping up the atmosphere on the playing field and waving his Melbourne Victory scarf before approaching a 19-yearold Sydney FC fan and violently lashing out at him.
Calombaris’ solicitor David Edwardson QC said the out- burst of violence was an “aberration” and was “spontaneous and reactive”, but had delivered no injury to the victim.
In the video, the celebrity chef can be seen dodging an advertising hoarding and walking up to the crowd where, according to the statement of facts, he “approached the young man and punched him in the lower abdomen with his right fist”.
He can then be seen having an exchange of words with the young fan while other spectators call out to Calombaris with some yelling “Hey George, pay your staff you dodgy bastard”.
After a few seconds, Calombaris backs away from the crowd before police escort him from the field. The assault took place shortly after Melbourne Victory’s loss to Sydney FC in the A-league grand final at Allianz Stadium in May.