only AU$1000 to punch a cop
from AntBlog701

only AU$1000 to punch a cop

Based on the result from the court. A 22-year-old rugby player punched an off-duty police was fined today for AU$2000 (AU$1000 each for affray and assault causing actual bodily harm to Const Allen). And no he does not need to have any sorts of custodial sentence because he has to be on the rugby ground 5-6 days a week plus play games during weekends.

It's very cheap to punch a police officer, and no sentence once you have a good excuse.

Maitua escaped a custodial sentence after his defence argued that his profession demanded he train five to six days a week and play matches on weekends.

Football player = "Get out of jail" free card?

Ridiculous.

> Footballer guilty of cop bashing (News.com.au, 6 Aug 2004)

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From Footballer guilty of cop bashing (News.com.au, 6 Aug 2004):

BULLDOGS rugby league player Reni Maitua has been fined $2000 for assaulting an off-duty police officer during a wild brawl at a Sydney RSL club.

Constable Tim Allen, from Rose Bay police, was beaten unconscious during a fight involving about 40 people at the Coogee-Randwick RSL club, in Sydney's east, on December 21, 2002.

Magistrate Janet Wahlquist in the NSW Central Local Court today found 22-year-old Maitua guilty of affray and assault causing actual bodily harm to Const Allen.

He was fined $1000 on each of the two charges.

"There was no suggestion that Tim Allen did anything to deserve what happened to him," Ms Wahlquist told the court.

"You punched him and you kicked him while he was unable to defend himself."

Fellow Bulldog Willie Mason watched on as Ms Wahlquist described the incident as "appalling to say the least".

Maitua escaped a custodial sentence after his defence argued that his profession demanded he train five to six days a week and play matches on weekends.

In a hearing earlier today, Ms Wahlquist said she accepted that not every injury suffered by Const Allen was caused by Maitua, but she was satisfied that one of the people who attacked Allen was the Bulldogs player.

She also said Const Allen did not raise a fist.

"The evidence in relation to Tim Allen was that he was an innocent victim. He was pulled out (of the lift) and he was attacked – and quiet brutally I might say," Ms Wahlquist said.

Outside the court, Maitua's lawyer Clive Jeffreys said his client would appeal the conviction.

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