A former NRL player-turned-influencer has been sentenced to 12 months imprisonment to be served in the community, after the ex-footy player brutally attacked another man in the bathroom of a pub.
David Drotini, who had previously played for the Gold Coast Titans and the Manly Sea Eagles, had pleaded guilty to a single charge of assault occasioning bodily harm for an alleged attack on another man, which left the alleged victim needing surgery on his nose, after suffering three facial fractures and a concussion.
He appeared in Brisbane Magistrates Court on Monday for sentencing, where the court heard that he had punched a man at the Royal George Hotel on September 6, 2024.
Mr Drotini had, according to his defence lawyer Nicholas Schoenmaker, been out celebrating the conclusion of his twin daughters’ football season with several other parents.
He had gone to the bathroom, which was crowded with other individuals. The court heard that one individual mocked his mullet hairstyle, while another man had approached Mr Drotini asking him if he had any cocaine.
The court heard the man had responded aggressively when Mr Drotini had said no. There is no suggestion Mr Drotini was ever in possession of any drugs.
Former NRL player David Drotini (pictured right alongside his partner Brooke Iseppi) has been sentenced to 12 months imprisonment to be served in the community
Brisbane Magistrates Court heard on Monday that the former Gold Coast and Manly player had punched a man after he became ‘agitated’ in a pub toilet in September 2024
Mr Drotini’s defence lawyer, Mr Schoenmaker, explained that the situation had made Mr Drotini ‘agitated’.
‘People are referring to his mullet, calling him names, asking him for drugs,’ he told the court.
He added: ‘While he was leaving the toilets he was bumped and, without properly assessing the situation, he had turned around and struck the complainant.’
Mr Drotini has since paid the victim, who required hospital treatment after the incident, $3,400 in reparations.
However, Magistrate Costanzo criticised his behaviour, stating that his decision to strike the complainant after being hassled in the toilets was ‘barely an explanation’.
‘You turned to violence too easily. You had no reason to lash out at this innocent person,’ the Magistrate said.
Mr Drotini currently has more than 100,000 followers on Instagram.
The father-of-three uses his social media platform to publish video and social content about his life as a parent. He regularly posts pictures and video content of himself taking his children to rugby training and spending time with his partner.
He had been enjoying a few drinks with other parents, after his twin daughters’ footy season had concluded. The former footy player had then gone to the bathroom, where the court heard one man made a remark about his mullet
His partner Brooke Iseppi, who also attended the court hearing on Monday, has over 701,000 followers on Instagram and also publishes content on the social media platform.
His legal counsel argued in court that his family could ‘lose their home’ if he were jailed, with Mr Schoenmaker telling the Magistrate that Mr Drotini was the primary bread-winner.
Alongside his social media account, the court heard that Mr Drotini earns $900-per-week while working for a bus company.
In his submission, Mr Schoenmaker argued that his client be spared jail time, asking the Magistrate to consider a combination of probation and community service.
However, Magistrate Costanzo, in sentencing, told Mr Drotini that he needed to ‘reform or go to jail.’
‘The fact that you had drinks does not excuse your behaviour and barely provides an explanation for it,’ Magistrate Costanzo said.
‘If this is how you react to circumstances like these and when you drink, then you are a danger to the community; you are a risk to public safety.’
Mr Drotini had previously pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm after the court heard he left a man with multiple facial fractures, after striking the individual
Magistrate Costanzo offered the ex-footy player the chance to serve his sentence in the community via an intensive corrections order.
Noting submissions made by Mr Schoenmaker, relating to Mr Drotini’s stance as his family’s breadwinner, Magistrate Costanzo explained: ‘It’s you that is putting your family at risk.
‘It’s you that’s putting their ability to rely on you for income and support at risk – no one else.’
This article was originally published by a www.dailymail.co.uk . Read the Original article here. .