A HEATHCOTE man who urged a witness to sign a version of events of a case before the court has escaped conviction of harassing a witness and resisting police.
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Daryl Grubb, 65, faced Bendigo Magistrates' Court this week but was released without conviction.
The court heard that in early October 2013, Mr Grubb was facing separate charges for an earlier incident in Heathcote.
Mr Grubb went to a witness' home and produced a document of his version of events regarding the matter, which had a statutory declaration attached.
He asked the witness to fill in the words he had provided and return it to the court.
When the witness refused to sign the document, saying it was not what he believed to be true, Mr Grubb called the witness again with the same request.
The court heard Mr Grubb become agitated and refused to go to the station when police attempted to arrest him.
He had to be restrained on the ground and denied perverting the course of justice.
Mr Grubb said he "just wanted the witness to tell the truth".
Defence counsel Luke Docherty said Mr Grubb had spent three days in police cells, which could be seen as punishment enough.
"This was a harrowing experience for him," Mr Docherty said.
Mr Grubb was charged, without conviction, and fined $300.
A charge of attempting to pervert the course of justice was withdrawn.
