A man who was heavily intoxicated when he assaulted police officers while on his way to get a meat pie more than 17 years ago, has escaped conviction.
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Wimmera resident Adam Hopkins fronted the Horsham Magistrates' Court on Wednesday.
His appearance followed a recent warrant being executed by authorities which summoned Hopkins to appear in court for his involvement in the historic assault of two police officers in Wodonga on July 7, 1999.
Police prosecutor Senior Constable Michelle Wentworth told the court Hopkins was spotted by police staggering down Melbourne Road just before midnight.
The court heard the Hopkins had bloodshot eyes, smelt strongly of alcohol and began to slur his speech when police officers approached him.
When police officers attempted to arrest him for being drunk in a public place, the court heard he began to verbally abuse them.
Senior Constable Wentowrth said Hopkins then began to violently throw his arms and body around when police attempted to calm him down.
She said Hopkins had to be physically retrained by police to avoid him doing "harm to himself and police."
Hopkins was then arrested and taken to the Wodonga police station but the court heard when he woke up in a cell at 4am he had no recollection of the night.
Hopkins told police at the time: "I was just walking down to the place past the car joint to get a pie."
When he was questioned why he assaulted the police officers Hopkins apologised and said he could not remember how the scuffle had occurred.
The court heard Hopkins had been in no other altercations with police since the incident. Magistrate Mark Stratmann said the circumstances surrounding the case were unusual.
He asked Hopkins: "To the best of your abilities are you able to say whether what has been alleged in court by police is your recollection of what took place that evening?”
Hopkins said he could not answer as he had no memory of the night. He pleaded guilty to assaulting the police officers and being intoxicated in a public place.
He told the court he had struggled with drug and alcohol addictions during his youth but had changed his lifestyle in the years following the incident. Mr Stratmann found him guilty of the charges but dismissed the case without conviction.
