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Sorry: The spit-hoon Jared Robinson at his Brisbane home.
THE disgraced football fan caught spitting at Richmond coach Danny Frawley and his players has emerged from hiding to apologise.
The mother of Brisbane university student Jared Robinson, 23, yesterday told of his deep shame and embarrassment over his behaviour after Richmond's humiliating loss to Adelaide at Telstra Dome last week.
Julianne Robinson said the fanatical Richmond supporter had turned himself in to police.
This week, he wrote to the club and the AFL to apologise and express his remorse at his "moment of immaturity".
"He knows he has to face up to what he did and he will accept what the consequences are," she told the
Robinson has admitted to Victorian police that he was the spitter caught on camera showering spit on Danny Frawley as the Tigers returned to their dressing room after their 75-point loss to the Crows last Friday.
The incident drew widespread condemnation from police, the AFL, football fans and Frawley's wife, Anita.
Last week, she told the she was terrified when she arrived at the Dome to find aggressive supporters wielding wooden spoons, spitting and screaming at her husband.
Robinson, who was at the game after making the trip to Melbourne with a group of cricketing mates, was the subject of an intense search in Victoria and Queensland which ended when he contacted police on Friday to give himself up.
It is understood he has engaged a lawyer.
Police have yet to formally interview him, but another fan caught spitting on Frawley at half time during the same game was charged with offensive behaviour.
The charge carries a maximum penalty of a $1000 fine or two months' jail.
Jared's father Lex said his son would have confessed earlier but was scared off by the intense public interest.
"There was so much aggression happening around him he just got carried away," his mum Julianne said.
"He can just be very passionate about his sport and sometimes that can take him over.
"He had been looking forward to this game for so long and was upset at how badly the team played.
"He would never abuse Frawley . . . he's a big supporter of Frawley but he is so passionate and can get worked up about the game. "
Mrs Robinson said Jared was immediately sorry for his actions.
"I didn't need to ask him for an apology."
She also revealed the attention on Jared has taken its toll.
"He was really upset when the media started to show the footage,"she said.
"He became very withdrawn and didn't know what to do.
"But he did go to the police himself and he has written two letters to the club and AFL apologising for his behaviour."
Friends of Robinson, a promising allrounder and junior coach with Brisbane cricket club Valleys, yesterday described the incident as totally out of character.
"I've seen Jared grow up and have a lot of respect for him as a young man," said long-time family friend and well-known Brisbane cricket coach Ian Reeves.
"I don't condone his actions but this is completely out of character for him . . . his behaviour is always exemplary. "
Mr Reeves said Robinson had assisted him in coaching junior cricket teams and was regarded as a role model among young cricketers.
Richmond has threatened to ban him from games for up to 10 years, but if the offender delivered a personal apology, they would consider reducing the ban to one year.
http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/footy/common/story_page/0,8033,9444942%5E19771,00.html
