Ex-league player faces court after park fight
Martin-savage pleads guilty to public nuisance
An “upstanding” family man and former Blackhawks captain has been sentenced in court for participating in a consensual fight that saw a massive brawl soon erupt in a Townsville park earlier this year.
Samuel Edward MartinSavage appeared in Townsville Magistrates Court this week for his involvement in a fight at Apex Park.
The police prosecutor said the 26-year-old had originally been charged with affray however they had no evidence and asked he be dismissed of the charge, only to be sentenced for one count of public nuisance.
The court was told on February 11 the father-of-two took part in a consensual fight with a man known to him at the park in Condon where both parties punched on until the other man lost his footing and the fight came to a halt.
It was said by the prosecutor the fight lasted only a matter of seconds and when it came to an end other people in the area started fighting one another causing a brawl to break out.
“(Martin-savage) wasn’t involved in this brawl, he left immediately,” the prosecutor said.
An Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander defence lawyer said her client who had no criminal history took part in the original fight due to a conflict that occurred between the other male and his younger brother.
“My client’s involvement is limited to just a consensual fight,” the lawyer said.
“It stopped when the other male couldn’t defend himself.”
She said Martin-savage was a full-time working business development manager who was looking forward to finalising the charge.
“He has contacted the other person involved in the fight as this was an associate who he had previous friendly dealings with and is looking forward to repairing that relationship,” his lawyer said.
The former rugby league player was involved in the Penrith Panthers under-20s system and returned to Townsville to captain the Blackhawks in 2018.
“I ask you consider his young age, the fact he’s an upstanding member of society and family man who holds down employment.”
She also asked the magistrate to consider not recording a conviction as the man held a Blue Card from a previous job.
Magistrate Susan Warrington noted the public nuisance was “very out of character” for Martin-savage, and acknowledged that he himself did not seriously injure anyone.
Martin-savage pleaded guilty to public nuisance.
He was sentenced to a $500 good behaviour order for six months. No conviction was recorded.