The man accused of assaulting an AFL goal umpire has raised concerns about his identification after appearing at Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Friday.
Alexander Grutteria was charged with recklessly causing injury, discharging a missile, and unlawful assault after he allegedly threw a half-full water bottle at AFL goal umpire Steven Piperno during the Carlton-St Kilda game at Marvel Stadium on August 25.
A water bottle was seen thrown at goal umpire Steven Piperno.Credit: Seven
Piperno was left with a two-centimetre laceration on his head, treated by the Carlton club doctor, and was subbed out after being unable to continue to umpire the game.
Police said Grutteria sat near the Carlton cheer squad and left immediately after the bottle was thrown.
The television broadcast of the game showed the bottle hitting the umpire, and his injuries, but didn’t screen any shots of who threw it.
Police used CCTV and broadcast footage from the stadium to identify Grutteria.
Piperno (left) was treated on the sidelines after the incident.Credit: Seven
Lawyer Sylvia Barbadonis, appearing for Grutteria, asked for an administrative adjournment as she intends to raise concerns around the identification of her client on CCTV from the game and that it can’t be proven that he threw the bottle.
When asked by the magistrate if she had an issue with the identification of her client, who appeared in court wearing a black suit and black shirt, as the person who threw the bottle, Barbadonis said she did.
“My client is on the CCTV [watching the match] and is also shown leaving with others in the same vicinity,” Barbadonis said.
The case was adjourned until a contest mention on January 15.
Grutteria remains on bail.
Football figures were appalled by the incident and the AFL handed a life ban to “a fan”, who was not publicly named, in relation to the incident in the days after it happened.
The Blues cheer squad said the banned fan was not part of their group.
Carlton coach Michael Voss fumed over the incident after the game on August 25.
“We don’t tolerate that – that’s not what footy is about,” he said.
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