Former footballer Dylan Jessen guilty of bikie brawl
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Court Reporter Candice Keller
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From: AdelaideNow
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June 15, 2011 12:00AM
Dylan Jessen leaves the Adelaide Magistrates Court with a Finks bikie. Pic: Higgs Greg Source: AdelaideNow
A FORMER New Boys street gang member had 20 minutes to prepare for a Hindley St brawl in which he claims he was acting in self-defence, a magistrate has said.
Dylan Jessen, 21, of Elizabeth East, appeared in the Adelaide Magistrates Court yesterday, where Deputy Chief Magistrate Dr Andrew Cannon found him guilty of one count of affray.
However, he cleared Jessen, who now has alleged links with the Finks, of aggravation - a prosecution claim that he was armed with a chain and padlock at the time.
In his judgment, Dr Cannon dismissed the former Central District player's claims he was acting in self-defence, but said Jessen and his companions did not start the fight.
He said subjectively Jessen might have considered his actions were in self-defence. However Jessen did not provide a statement or evidence to sufficiently back that up.
"The reasonable person, representative of community standards, would have considered leaving the area, or going inside and locking the door, or going to a nearby police station," he said.
"By relying upon their own resources to use violence to repel an expected attack (Jessen) and his companions willingly participated in the affray that occurred.
"The violence they used was unlawful."
CCTV footage of the assault, which occurred outside the Ink Central tattoo parlour on April 12, showed Jessen and friends "limbering up", then a fight ensuing involving chairs and some bars used as weapons.
"A reasonable man or woman . . . faced with the knowledge of an impending attack would have considered and taken credible alternatives to physical self-defence in the 20 minutes during which (Jessen) and his companions prepared themselves," Dr Cannon said.
"(Jessen) can be seen swinging his right arm as if to strike another man on at least two occasions.
"He appears to throw a right-handed punch."
Dr Cannon remanded Jessen on continuing bail to appear for sentencing in August.
Yesterday Jessen also pleaded guilty to one count of affray for an incident in December 2009 in Adelaide. He will face sentencing for that at a later date.
