A man involved in an incident that allegedly left two police officers injured has avoided a conviction, but a magistrate has described his behaviour as "appalling".
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The 28-year-old was fined $4000 for his part in the incident on View Street, Bendigo on March 7 this year, having pleaded guilty in the Bendigo Magistrates' Court to assaulting an emergency worker on duty, obstructing police, and public drunkenness.
Two police officers approached the man and his two friends after seeing the two friends wrestling outside the Basement Bar shortly after 10pm.
The 28-year-old said to the officers, "You're the po po dogs and you can f**k off".
One of the officers observed the men were heavily intoxicated and aggressive.
The man who pleaded guilty this week was argumentative, uncooperative and continued to verbally abuse the officers.
One of the officers was fearful all three men would physically assault him and his colleague.
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It was alleged a physical assault occurred while the police officers were arresting the men, although this man did not inflict any physical violence against the officers.
Magistrate Julie Grainger said the man would have been convicted had he committed any physical assault.
However, Ms Grainger said the man's offending was nevertheless "very serious".
"Assault on... two police officers, who are only trying to help and do their duty and uphold the law, is a very serious matter," she said.
"And your actions on the night in question were appalling."
Ms Grainger said the man's behaviour put the officers in fear they would be subjected to more violence.
Police prosecutor Senior Constable Martin Friend read out victim impact statements from the two officers, in which they described the ongoing physical, mental and emotional impacts of that night.
One said the incident had exacted a toll on both him and his family, and had left him struggling with anxiety.
"I know I have not been the person I normally am," he wrote.
While he could not say the incident had given him post traumatic stress disorder, he said it had exacerbated the symptoms significantly.
His colleague on that night said she still felt concerned for his safety, and experienced guilt that he had to carry a heavier load than her.
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The man pleaded guilty to the offences after receiving an indication that he would not face a conviction.
Defence lawyer Luke Docherty submitted the man had not caused any physical injuries, had no criminal history, and the offending was out of character.
He said the guilty pleas held high utilitarian value.
The man also told the magistrate he was very sorry for everything that had occurred.
Ms Grainger took into account the man's guilty pleas, saying they saved court time, and the victims and witnesses the effort of giving evidence.
She accepted the man was genuinely remorseful and noted he had references that spoke to his good character.
While alcohol consumption might explain his behaviour on that night, Ms Grainger said, it did not excuse it.
She said the man's actions made a "difficult and terrible" situation much worse.
Ms Grainger said the man had a supportive family and a good life, and the court and the community expected better from someone who had had all of his advantages,
But for his guilty plea, the man would have faced a community corrections order with community work and treatment conditions.