News Serious assault following last night’s game (2018 final)

[Slartibartfast]

Justice can be purchased if you are fortunate enough to have the money or have access to the silks required to minimise the charge. Any scum bystander from the West of melbourne with no money or contacts would go to the big house for this.

 

[MightyHawks]

The defence is likely to claim that the victims contributed to the assault and were not simply bystanders on the notion that they were intoxicated and engaging in unruly drunken behavior. All that has to be shown is a level of doubt that the victims were partly to blame then the charges get thrown out or withdrawn for lesser charges. What we’re seeing here is an arrangement to stop it from going to court and wasting more time by having them plead guilty to lesser charges.

Would this have happened if it was an average joe public who was the accused, without connection to free legal representation of high standing and friends in the judiciary? We all know the likely answer to that.

I don't think it matters in the slightest what happened before the video started rolling

They could have insulted them, thrown drinks on them, pushed them, punched them, thrown up on them whatever

Still doesn't mean that once they are on the ground, defenseless and no longer any threat that it's ok to repeatedly kick and punch them in the head

 

[Deliverance]

******* private schools.

 

[FastLane]

I think most hopefully understand what you've outlined there. Doesn't make it any less infuriating or frustrating. I think everyone's used to the privileged getting away with what others wouldn't - it's just that it's reasonably rare for such a horrific, compelling piece of video evidence to exist. For it to effectively be ignored, in terms of the lighter charges they'll likely receive, is something general society have every right to find galling. I'm not big into performative outrage or mob justice or "Let 'em rot!" style rhetoric but when the outcome is so obviously pre-ordained, despite the action and the evidence, it just makes you shake your head and lose another vestige of hope. It's just a very blatant reminder that, as you said, the more money, the more "justice" and that most of us are playing on an uneven deck.

wholeheartedly agree.

The other problem would be finding a jury that had not seen/heard about this case- possibility (highly unlikely, yet not beyond possibility) of defence team blocking video from admissible evidence as prejudicial.

There is no doubt these guys should get a custodial sentence at minimum- what they did is abhorrent and you would be hard pressed to find any member of society that did not think the act worthy of prison.

If Borce Ristevski can get 9 years for killing his wife, anything is possible..

 

[Final Siren]

******* private schools.

It's a cheap shot, but an important part of this case.

Anyone who punches on like that against a couple of defenceless old men should go to jail. But a lot of the time, you know the offender has come from a s**t background themselves - no excuse but maybe some explanation.

These guys come from supportive, wealthy families, with every opportunity handed to them. And they just flat-out chose to be malevolent dickbags. Now their wealth and legal connections fight tooth and nail to protect them. So that's extra galling.

 

[Toump Ass]

5 of the more serious charges dropped. Won't face the county court where the judge can impose a harsher sentence.

Pretty s**t.

Walker brothers to admit 'vicious attacks' but won't face County Court

Three men, two of them sons of prominent barrister, will plead guilty over vicious assault outside MCG after plea deal sees seven of nine charges dropped.

www.theage.com.au

 

[mouncey2franklin]

Seven of the nine charges dropped.

Walker brothers to admit 'vicious attacks' but won't face County Court

Three men, two of them sons of prominent barrister, will plead guilty over vicious assault outside MCG after plea deal sees seven of nine charges dropped.

www.theage.com.au

Defendant heard to yell 'I'm going to kill you' and seen assaulting a defenseless man in a manner that can indeed kill.

The charges of:

reckless conduct endangering life,
reckless conduct endangering serious injury, and
recklessly causing serious injury in circumstances of gross violence

All dropped.

From the footage, it would seem that this wasn't 'reckless' endangering of life, it was intentional, he even told the victim himself during the assault.

Dominic Walker then yelled ‘‘I’m going to f---ing kill you, you’re going to be dead’’ before stomping on the man’s head three times, leaving him unconscious on the road with bleeding on the brain and a string of facial fractures.

The seven defense lawyers are doing stirling work, it must be said.

'Your Honour, when my client told the victim he was going to kill him, he was lying. My client is a known liar, Your Honour. Always has been. His own words should not be deemed admissible in this case. Moreover, Your Honour, although it is true that my client told that victim that he was going to be dead, one must bear in mind that my client flunked bio-med at uni, and wouldn't know a fatal blow even if he were the one meting it out.'

Any law-talking guys here know what would happen to a regular person (no QC daddy) caught on film committing this kind of assault?

I'm genuinely interested to know.

 

[Toump Ass]

This is the best bit for me:
"Lawyers for the three men argued that the Walker brothers had come to the aid of their ‘‘vulnerable’’ friend when the incident occurred and that there was no pre-planning nor weapons involved in the attack."

Not sure why you'd need weapons when you're young, outnumber the (older) victims, and they're already cowering in fear with facial injuries on the concrete, but what would I know.

 

[StillAtLarge]

Seven of the nine charges dropped.

Walker brothers to admit 'vicious attacks' but won't face County Court

Three men, two of them sons of prominent barrister, will plead guilty over vicious assault outside MCG after plea deal sees seven of nine charges dropped.

www.theage.com.au

Defendant heard to yell 'I'm going to kill you' and seen assaulting a defenseless man in a manner that can indeed kill.

The charges of:

reckless conduct endangering life,
reckless conduct endangering serious injury, and
recklessly causing serious injury in circumstances of gross violence

All dropped.

From the footage, it would seem that this wasn't 'reckless' endangering of life, it was intentional, he even told the victim himself during the assault.

Dominic Walker then yelled ‘‘I’m going to f---ing kill you, you’re going to be dead’’ before stomping on the man’s head three times, leaving him unconscious on the road with bleeding on the brain and a string of facial fractures.

The seven defense lawyers are doing stirling work, it must be said.

'Your Honour, when my client told the victim he was going to kill him, he was lying. My client is a known liar, Your Honour. Always has been. His own words should not be deemed admissible in this case. Moreover, Your Honour, although it is true that my client told that victim that he was going to be dead, one must bear in mind that my client flunked bio-med at uni, and wouldn't know a fatal blow even if he were the one meting it out.'

Any law-talking guys here know what would happen to a regular person (no QC daddy) caught on film committing this kind of assault?

I'm genuinely interested to know.

If the bus driver who ran into the montague st bridge can be given a 5 year sentence (overturned today after spending 300+ days behind bars) then surely you'd multiply that by 4 or 5 due to the severity of the assualt and the injuries sustained

 

[tigers47]

Utter disgrace should be doing time

 

[My Tilly]

their old man's a QC so what do you expect?
Of course his connections and years of community service were going to pay dividends.

I've heard similar things regarding police officers and their sons/daughters and manipulating paper trails to help with court proceedings etc to drastically lessen charges or avoid any completely.

 

[Tiger Tim]

Woefully Pathetic

 

[tigerbrett]

Anyone know if the MCC acted on their memberships?
Hard to know what reckless conduct is, if this is not

 

[BIRDBRAIN]

We all said it 12 months ago that this is what would happen, no surprises whatsoever.

 

[Freshwater]

Even if it was only a month behind bars just to ram it home how serious it was. This sought of outcome gives no confidence in the system and gives ammunition to the types who already hate our culture.

 

[BF Tiger]

Is jail time still a possibility?

 

[Deliverance]

Surprised this kind of thing isn't being used to shame these two on social media TBH

 

[ImCheatingToWin]

Got to love how the " justice" system works in this country.
What a ******* farce

 

[Macpotata]

what a ******* joke

 

[Rusty Brookes]

Is jail time still a possibility?

Yes it is but looks like a maximum of five years. One thing I hate is the character references saying what great people they are - sorry, the actions of all three is all that is needed. How many times have they been involved in fights that haven't been caught on camera? For every positive character reference, I bet a negative one can be found.

I also hate the quote from the lawyer defending Pitt noting he got "quite drunk at the football, as many people do" . Yeah, I've gotten drunk at the football but I've never felt the need to punch on with anyone let alone attack people on the ground who are quite clearly defenceless.

And I see nothing that remotely suggests they are truly remorseful for their actions. Give them the maximum sentence, ban them for life from all AFL events and memberships - the game is better off without people like this.

 

[basashi]

I don't mind them doing a deal but if they don't serve substantial prison time it will be an absolute outrage.

 

[OhhhhhCyril]

I don't mind them doing a deal but if they don't serve substantial prison time it will be an absolute outrage.

They won’t.. spoilt shits and their dad with their 7 lawyers. Community service and a good behaviour bond. The defence is laughable, but we all know you can buy your way out.

 

[kickazz]

A year in prison and shitloads of menial embarrassing community service seems appropriate.


We cannot send the message to society that this behaviour is okay.

 

[Rusty Brookes]

A year in prison and shitloads of menial embarrassing community service seems appropriate.


We cannot send the message to society that this behaviour is okay.

Give them five years and follow it up with community service. I reckon community service should reflect the crime. So they should be forced to work with people with brain injury and the like. Understand the potential consequences of their actions.

 

[Final Siren]

"Throughout the day-long hearing Sam Walker glared at the media and smirked"

Woo boy

"The brothers and their friend had spent the evening of September 6, 2018, in the MCC members' area of the stadium"

Where they serve full-strength alcohol, yeah? But the plebs have to drink half-strength because they might get violent.