- Luke McGuane appeared in court on Tuesday
- Former soccer star attacked security guard
- The dispute was over his level of intoxication.
Former football star Luke McGuane attacked a security guard, new footage has revealed, with the former Richmond star out of drink as he lamented delays in a concussion class action lawsuit against the AFL.
McGuane, who played 105 games for Richmond and enjoyed a brief spell with Brisbane before retiring in 2015, pleaded guilty to assault at Southport Magistrates Court on Tuesday.
The charge related to an incident at Fat Freddy’s bar in Broadbeach in March, where the 37-year-old had been drinking with his father and friends.
The court heard how bar staff stopped serving him alcohol before his father brought him a beer. That led a security guard to confront McGuane, where he asked him to leave.
CCTV footage showed the guard speaking to McGuane in what the prosecution described as a calm and professional manner, before the former football star stood up and confronted him.
Former football star Luke McGuane assaults security guard at bar
CCTV footage showed the former Tigers star fighting the guard.
He pleaded guilty to the charge at a court hearing Tuesday.
The security guard raised his hands defensively, but McGuane grabbed him and began wrestling with him.
A table is knocked over in the middle of the fight and the pair fight on the floor before being separated by bystanders and police, who were already at the bar attending a different disturbance.
McGuane’s lawyer, Jason Jacobson, said the former tall forward had only been at the bar for about an hour and that his medical conditions made him appear drunker than he actually was.
“His debate with the security officer was to try to convince him that he was not that severely intoxicated,” Jacobson said.
The court heard how McGuane had been “financially destroyed” after losing “hundreds of thousands” of dollars due to failed investments in a gym and a barbershop during lockdown.
Jacobson also revealed McGuane was part of a class action lawsuit against the AFL, with former players seeking concussion action.
McGuane played 105 games for Richmond and enjoyed a brief spell in Brisbane.
“His personal level of frustration had increased because he had received some news 48 hours prior to this incident which relates to the class action lawsuit, which he is a part of, in terms of the AFL’s concussion issues in Victoria,” he said Jacobson.
‘(He was told) that things were going to be put on hold for another 18 months.
“That was something that affected him personally to the point that he made the decision that he wanted to go and relax a little bit and go to the hotel with his father.
“He’s had a tough time financially and that’s why he’s pinning his hopes on the class-action lawsuit.”
McGuane was ordered to pay the security guard $500 in compensation and was sentenced to nine months’ probation, but did not get a recorded conviction.
