The AFL's Darker Side....

[England 3 Lions]

Court told Dane Swan joined in kicking assault
By Norrie Ross From: Herald Sun August 31, 2009 2:12PM

Source: DailyTelegraph.com.au

AFL star Dane Swan joined in a "vicious, thuggish, savage and brutal" assault on a cleaner at Federation Square, a jury was told.

Michael Heaton QC said Swan, who plays for Collingwod, punched and kicked Michael Celano along with Kade Carey - who is the nephew of Wayne Carey - and former Williamstown player Aaron Ramsay during the attack.

The Herald Sun reports that as a result of the assault Mr Heaton said Mr Celano, 45, was left with fractures to his eye socket, cheekbone and the bridge of his nose.

He "coughed up blood and lost consciousness".

Mr Celano was a cleaner at Federation Square and was working overnight when the incident occurred.

In his opening address, the QC said the footy players were followed by security guards and Mr Celano after an incident minutes earlier in Flinders St where Carey body-slammed a moving car, cracking its windscreen.

The County Court jury viewed CCTV footage of the incident from four cameras at Federation Square.

Mr Heaton said the footage showed Swan, Carey and Ramsay along with three security guards, Mr Celano and the two women standing at River Terrace.

Carey was heard to swear at the guards and say “I’ll take youse all” before grabbing security guard Jesse James and attempting to choke him.

Carey then struck another security guard on the cheek and in a series of rolling incidents that followed Mr Celano and Mr James were assaulted.

At one point Mr Celano was on the ground being punched and kicked by Swan, Carey and Ramsay, the QC said. Mr Celano was also hit with a Maglite torch.

Mr Heaton told the jury they could see Swan run past Carey and Ramsay and punch Mr Celano when he appeared to be trying to get up from the ground.

Swan is later seen to run off in the footage and then police officers arrive and use capsicum spray on Carey.

Mr Celano has sued Swan, Carey and Ramsay for damages in the County Court.

Mr Heaton said for months after the assault his client was unable to work or continue his part-time music career in a covers band and Workcover refused him benefits because the assault occurred during his meal break.

The trial before Judge Paul Lacava continues.

[England 3 Lions]

Former AFL star could face abuse charge upgrade

September 17, 2009 - 5:18PM .

Source: WAToday.com.au

Lawyers for former AFL star Fabian Francis will argue he has no case to answer in relation to up to 50 domestic violence charges when he fronts court later this year.

Francis, 35, appeared in the Holden Hill Magistrates Court in Adelaide on Thursday charged with committing multiple domestic violence offences against his ex-wife between 1998 and February last year.

The South Australian played AFL for Port Adelaide, Melbourne and the Brisbane Bears between 1991 and 2001 before a knee injury ruined his career in 2002.

The court heard several charges against Francis were likely to be amended, giving rise to the charge of threatening to kill in relation to a dispute that took place on Christmas Day in 2007.

While some charges against Francis are likely to be dropped, Magistrate Kevin Edgecomb expressed concern that some of the current charges might not go far enough.

The court heard the victim, former police officer Debra Buckskin, struggled to breathe when Francis allegedly throttled her.

Magistrate Edgecomb said the victim's 85-page statement suggested Francis was not only threatening Ms Buckskin, but was also trying to carry out the threat.

Given that much of the prosecution case rests on her word against his, lawyers for Francis indicated they would argue their client had no case to answer.

However, Mr Edgecomb said he expected Francis would have a case to answer in relation to most of the charges given the seriousness of what was contained in the victim's statement.

Mr Edgecomb will decide whether Ms Buckskin's statement should be tested at trial when Francis next appears before the court on November 12.

[England 3 Lions]

Lions player dodges jail over nightclub assault
DANIEL HURST
July 29, 2009

Source: BrisbaneTimes.com.au

A senior Brisbane Lions AFL player has avoided jail, despite pleading guilty to a drunken attack on two women in a Gold Coast nightclub, one of whom was hit in the face with a glass.

Proud, 20, was yesterday ordered to pay $8000 compensation to the victims, serve two years of probation and a three-month intensive correctional order with strict conditions and 100 hours of community service.

The women had been partying at the Cocktail and Dreams club at Surfers Paradise six months ago when the incident with Proud occurred. One suffered facial injuries caused by a glass she had been holding at the time she was attacked.

Proud pleaded guilty to two charges of assault causing bodily harm and publicly apologised to the pair outside the Southport Magistrates Court yesterday.

The Brisbane Lions Football Club confirmed he would not face further sanctions.

In a statement, management said the "regrettable case" should serve as a timely reminder to young people about the dangers of excessive alcohol consumption.

"The Lions took appropriate disciplinary steps with AFL approval back in February by imposing a heavy fine, a club suspension and a club directive to complete a series of alcohol and anger management related counselling courses," the statement said.

"The club now wishes the two victims involved a speedy and complete recovery."

The punishment is in contrast to that meted out to disgraced former NRL player Greg Bird, who was sacked by the Cronulla Sharks and ordered by a Sydney judge to serve at least eight months behind bars for an assault on his girlfriend last year. Bird is appealing the sentence.

[England 3 Lions]

Adelaide Crows defender Nathan Bock charged with assault
By Steve Larkin
April 05, 2009

Source: Fox Sports

All Australian AFL defender Nathan Bock has been charged with assaulting his girlfriend at an Adelaide hotel.

The Adelaide Crows player was also charged with causing property damage after being detained by police late Saturday night, his club said.

Bock, who played for the Crows in his side's loss to St Kilda in Adelaide, faces sanctions from his club as a result of the incident.

It is believed Bock was evicted from the General Havelock Hotel in central Adelaide and later reported by police for allegedly assaulting his girlfriend.

South Australian Police would not comment on the charges on Sunday, but the Crows released a statement saying Bock would face court later this year.

"The Adelaide Football Club advises that Nathan Bock was last night reported by police for assault and causing damage," said the statement, attributed to football operations general manager John Reid.

"The report resulted from an incident late on Saturday evening at a city hotel.

"Nathan was detained by police and then released to appear in court later in the year.

"The club is gathering more information regarding the incident and once we have all the details the club will advise all concerned on what action it will take from a club and AFL perspective.

"We will endeavour to do that as soon as possible."

Bock can be fined a maximum of $5,000 under the AFL players' code of conduct, while any possible suspension would be a matter for the club.

[England 3 Lions]

Former AFL star jailed for assault

July 30, 2008

Source: The Australian/

FORMER Richmond AFL player Andrew Krakouer has been sentenced to a minimum 16 months in jail for a serious assault in Fremantle in late 2006.

Krakouer was sentenced today in the West Australian District Court in Perth to 32 months in prison after a mandatory one-third discount on his sentence was taken into account.

The sentence has been backdated to June 18 this year, when Krakouer was convicted of the assault on 24-year-old Justin Martin outside a nightclub in Fremantle in December 2006.

Krakouer's younger brother Tyrone was today sentenced to a maximum 16 months in prison, with a minimum eight months, for his part in the assault.

Andrew Krakouer was found guilty of assault with intent to cause bodily harm, while Tyrone was found guilty of a lesser assault charge.

During the trial, Mr Martin had admitted to "king-hitting" Krakouer in 2001 as part of a long-standing feud between female members of his own family and the Krakouer clan.

Mr Martin said when the pair next met outside the Harbourside nightclub in Fremantle, Krakouer challenged him to a fight, saying, "let's sort it out now".

Prosecutor Bruno Fiannaca told the trial that Mr Martin was left in a coma after the fight and had suffered ongoing psychological problems.

Krakouer, from a famous footballing family, was delisted from the AFL after playing 102 matches and kicking 102 goals for Richmond.

[England 3 Lions]

Teen umpire's basher fined $1000

Mark Dunn September 01, 2009 12:00AM

Source: Herald Sun

A FOOTBALLER who was banned from playing for life after bashing a 16-year-old umpire was convicted over the assault and fined $1000.

Christian Paul Innella, 29, pleaded guilty to a charge of recklessly causing injury over the May 30 attack on umpire Matthew McFarlane.

Kyneton Magistrates' Court heard Innella, then playing for Rockbank in the Riddell District Football League, had challenged a number of umpiring decisions before the assault.

He was given a yellow card for his conduct and ordered from the ground at Romsey.

He then continued his abuse, charging back towards the umpire, and was shown a red card, the court heard.

Innella then lashed out at the teen ump, striking him on the right side of the head and leaving him with blurred vision and swelling.

Matthew, who had participated in the AFL Umpires Development Program and was keen on pursuing his umpiring career, had to be helped from the ground after collapsing.

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He complained of headaches in the weeks after.

Innella received a life ban from playing at a subsequent tribunal hearing in June.

His lawyer, Sam Norton, yesterday told the court the life ban was a significant penalty for someone who had spent much of his youth playing football.

Mr Norton said Innella was profoundly remorseful for his actions, had apologised to Matthew in writing and volunteered himself to police after the incident.

He said two of Innella's friends had died shortly before the assault and that he was psychologically affected by the shame and publicity caused by his actions.

"He comes to court cap in hand accepting responsibility for his conduct," Mr Norton said.

Magistrate Greg McNamara convicted Innella and fined him $1000.

Matthew has returned to umpiring.