By CAM LUCADOU-WELLS
A FORMER junior football protege has been convicted for criminal damage and assault after wielding a baseball bat at his ex-girlfriend’s house.
Jean Roussell, 24, of Endeavour Hills initially sought a sentence indication at a court hearing on Monday 29 June after denying he’d struck her ex-partner’s new housemate several times to the head and upper arm using the bat.
Roussell, who had previously lived at the victim’s Heatherton home, was surprised and upset to find the housemate inside and slapped him with an open hand to the face several times, police prosecutor Senior Constable Liz Millear told the court.
As the victim called police, Roussell produced the bat from his car and stuck the victim, Sen Const Millear said.
The accused then smashed a hole into the lounge room wall, damaged items and stashed several household goods that didn’t belong to him in his car.
Defence lawyer David Dribbin said Roussell, who had no prior record, had got in an argument after finding the housemate smoking a crack pipe at the time.
He said all items removed from the house were immediately recovered when police arrived.
Mr Dribbin told the court that Roussell had played soccer for Australia as a junior and was playing at Belgian club level until he damaged a nerve in his back during a game five years ago.
Roussell was devastated by the sudden end of his “extremely promising” footballing career but had successfully rebuilt his life, Mr Dribbin said.
He asked for a non-conviction given Roussell’s age and future travel plans.
Magistrate Doug Bolster disagreed, citing aggravating factors such as $2470 of household damage and another $2000 of stolen goods.
“He has gone out of his way to get a baseball bat and assault the victim. In my view that requires a conviction.”
Roussell was convicted and fined $1500 and ordered to pay restitution for the damage.
