A MAN who punched at two bouncers at the Wicklow has been placed on a good behaviour bond with a requirement he undertake anger management.
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Troy Smith was found guilty by Magistrate Darryl Pearce after a hearing into the incident in local court on Monday.
He had been charged with excluded person remaining in the vicinity of a licence premises and two counts of common assault, to which he pleaded not guilty.
The court heard on September 12 last year Smith was dropped off at the Armidale Bowling Club where he had six to seven schooners.
When the club closed at about 10.30pm he walked to the Wicklow, where two security guards asked him to leave because he had too much to drink.
Smith claimed he did what was asked and only turned towards the bouncers when they pushed him once he was outside the pub and he pushed back.
The guards maintained after a scuffle inside the pub as they escorted Smith out, he then became aggressive and began punching one of the guards, hitting him in the side of the head.
Magistrate Pearce accepted the prosecution’s version of events in which 19-year-old bouncer Muaz Haddad assessed Smith’s intoxication level and reported to his supervisor Adam Malane.
Mr Malane told the court he had agreed with and trusted Mr Haddad’s assessment and then asked Smith to leave.
Two police constables corroborated this assessment of Smith, saying they believed he was moderately affected.
The guards said they escorted Smith, who at that stage was calm and compliant, to the front door when he turned around and pushed Mr Malane.
They grabbed his wrists and forcibly removed him from the pub.
“He was pushed out the door by me,” Mr Malane said.
“We grabbed him after he struck me in the chest and pushed him out the door.”
The prosecution evidence said Smith took up a fighting stance before he punched at the guards more than seven times.
Magistrate Pearce fined Smith $200 for remaining in the vicinity of a licence premises after being excluded and was placed on a two year good behaviour bond for the assaults.
He was also ordered to pay costs of $892.30.