Colin Gillette breaks man's nose with headbutt at Orange hotel

Colin James Gillette, of Pippin Way, was at the hotel with his family when he saw a dispute going on between his son-in-law and another man at the bar.

Magistrate David Day said the incident took place in a "quiet inner-town hotel" and condemned the headbutt and alcohol consumption involved.

"[It's] a Liverpool kiss and it can do an incredible amount of damage," Mr Day said.

"Here we have someone who is quite well affected by alcohol, your client, and he headbutts someone who is obviously drunk.

"This is serious alcohol fueled violence and I've dealt with a lot of that over the years."

Solicitor Mason Manwaring said the victim had gone around the pub grabbing men on the crotch and will face court for charges of his own.

"My client saw what was going on and saw that his son-in-law was getting upset and didn't know what to do about this," Mr Manwaring said.

"He intervened. He's reacted to a situation and reacted poorly. I'm not victim blaming, the victim was drunk."

According to police, an argument took place between Gillette's son-in-law and the victim at the hotel's bar about 10am after the victim allegedly touched the son-in-law's crotch with the back of his hand, then attempted to touch him again.

The argument drew the attention of other hotel patrons, including Gillette, who attempted to separate the two men and calm the victim down.

One of the hotel staff members also attempted to pull the victim away from the situation.

The victim picked up two schooners of beer from the bar that he'd been waiting for and started to walk away when Gillette stopped him from leaving and placed his hands on the victim's shoulders.

Gillette exchanged further words with the victim, and while the victim's hands were still full he headbutted the victim in the face and kept hold of him as they stumbled around the bar area.

Other patrons and bar staff split them up. The victim was escorted outside and an ambulance was called for him because he was bleeding from the nose and chin.

He received an nondisplaced fracture of the nasal bone and required one stitch to the bridge of his nose as well as four stitches to his chin.

Police prosecutor Sergeant Carl Smith said the victim and Gillette were talking for "quite some time" before the assault.

"The victim says something and then it's all said and done," he said.

Mr Day said Gillette had a low-level assault in his background, that he did not receive a conviction for, but he did not consider Gillette to be a violent person.

However, Mr Day warned Gillete that if he had more of a history of violence he would be facing either an Intensive Correction Order or full-time jail.

He convicted Gillette and placed him on a, 28-month supervised Community Correction Order and ordered him to complete 20 hours of community service.

"It's just bizarre behaviour by the victim, I'm not victim blaming but he's been charged as well," Mr Day said.

"However, there does need to be a degree of general deterrence, there needs to be general deterrence here because it [occurs] in a licensed premises.

"The message needs to go out that it's not tolerated."

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