Bikie boss Toby Mitchell sentenced after punching man at American Hotel in Echuca
A famous bike boss could spend Christmas behind bars after punching another man in a Victoria area pub on a night of alcohol-fueled celebrations.
Mongolian bicycle boss Toby Mitchell will appeal his two-month jail sentence after pleading guilty to punching another man in a pub on the Victorian border.
The 47-year-old man was arrested Tuesday at his Melbourne home and charged with common law assault and failing to provide a cell phone access code.
Wearing a black hoodie, Mitchell appeared by video link outside Melbourne Magistrates’ Court from Melbourne West Police Station on Tuesday afternoon.
Mitchell is facing allegations that he punched another guest twice at the American Hotel in Echuca after drinking together for several hours on November 28.
The court heard that Mitchell had visited the pub with a woman when he and the other man started arguing.
He hit the man in the face, causing him to fall backwards, the court heard.
The couple then started arguing again before Mitchell slapped the man in the face, knocking him back to the ground.
Mitchell was then captured by CCTV as he left the scene. He had asked the manager of the bar to unlock a door to let him out before turning around to thank him and ask him to remove the video surveillance, we learned in court.
He then refused to give the police his phone’s passcode when called to investigate.
Her attorney Damian Sheales called the offense “trivial” and said it had gained more attention because of her client’s status.
He told the court that the victim “shrugged her shoulders”.
But the prosecution argued that the incident was not trivial and that a prison sentence would be appropriate.
Magistrate David Starvaggi said this was not the first time Mitchell had been involved in such an incident and said “a strong condemnation of such behavior should be recognized by the court”.
“Violence and alcohol in the licensed premises are simply intolerable,” he said.
Mitchell’s lawyers have said they will appeal the conviction on the grounds that he needs regular hospital treatment.
Mr Mitchell was on his way to the border town to celebrate his birthday when the alleged altercation unfolded.
The footage shows the boss of the bike being escorted out of his Southbank home and towards a police car while he is handcuffed.
“This arrest is to hold people to account for their behavior, whatever the situation or the circumstances,” Detective Inspector Graham Banks said.
“The Echo Task Force has made a significant commitment to monitoring the behavior of serious and organized criminal groups such as the OMCGs and when incidents like this occur, we will act.
“Investigators will continue to deploy to the Victoria area whenever the OMCGs undertake activities that may provoke this type of violence.”
Last month, dozens of Mongolian bikes spilled over to Echuca, a country town on the Victorian border, to celebrate Mitchell’s birthday.
The case will return to court later Tuesday.
