Bombers' Hurley fined over cab fight

A drunken fight over a $13 taxi fare has cost a promising AFL footballer more than
$20,000.
Essendon player Michael Hurley has escaped conviction for kicking, kneeing and
elbowing taxi driver Onkar Bains and throwing him onto a rubbish bin after the AFL
Footy Show grand final party last September.
But he must pay $10,000 to the Lighthouse Foundation and was placed on a two-year
good behaviour bond in the Melbourne Magistrates Court on Friday.
A club-imposed suspension for the first three rounds of the season and pre-season
matches already cost the young star $10,200 in match payments.
Hurley, who is named at full-forward in the side to take on reigning premiers
Geelong on Saturday night, was also ordered to pay the $13.80 fare.
Magistrate Charlie Rozencwajg, who refused Hurley's application to join a court
diversion program for first-time offenders, described the offence as serious.
"It is this type of violence that is far too prevalent in our society," he said.
"I do regard this as a particularly nasty assault."
Mr Rozencwajg said there were too many young "hoons" who engaged in violence in
Melbourne in the early hours.
Hurley, 20, had attended the AFL Footy Show grand final party before he hailed the
cab outside the 7 Nightclub in South Melbourne at 5.15am on September 25.
About 15 minutes into the journey when the taxi was stopped at a red light in Hoddle
St, East Melbourne Hurley got out without paying his fare and went to a Hungry Jacks
restaurant.
The cabbie parked his car, found Hurley out the front of the store and asked him to
pay the fare.
Hurley told him he was never in the taxi and kicked the cabbie in the leg.
The cabbie punched Hurley in the jaw. Hurley lunged at the cabbie, who pushed him
over a railing causing him to fall.
Hurley retaliated by throwing the driver onto a rubbish container and onto the taxi
and then the ground, where he repeatedly kneed and elbowed him.
The cab driver suffered bruising to his right wrist, left elbow and abrasions to his
head and was treated at the Monash Medical Centre.
Outside court Hurley expressed regret for his actions.
"I had too much to drink, made a bad decision and I regret my actions," he said.
Hurley also wrote a letter of apology to Mr Bains.
He said he was heavily intoxicated and his recollection was vague.
Hurley assured the cabbie that the attack was not racially motivated.
Essendon CEO Ian Robson said Hurley had shown genuine remorse and regret over his
actions.
"As Michael has acknowledged in court today, his behaviour last September was
unacceptable and it is not something that stands for the Essendon Football Club," he
said.
Hurley, dressed in a black suit and white tie, spent the entire day at court after a
magistrate initially hearing the case disqualified himself because of an accusation
of bias.
Hurley's lawyer Damian Sheales argued it could be perceived that Deputy Chief
Magistrate Dan Muling had pre-determined his judgment of the case.
Mr Muling rejected the claim, but agreed to disqualify himself.
Mr Rozencwajg also ordered Hurley to take part in a positive lifestyle program.