Teen hit man with beer bottle and tried to steal bike

The court heard Fielden, who was 18 at the time, struck a Shepparton man on the head with a beer bottle and attempted to steal his bike when he was riding along Wilmot Rd, Shepparton on May 31, 2022.

Fielden grabbed the man by his jacket and pulled him off the bike, before punching him.

He then said to the man, “give me your bike or I’m going to bottle you”, the court heard.

A passerby pulled Fielden away from the victim, who then rode about 15m away around the corner, called 000 and waited for police to arrive.

Fielden then went around the corner and threatened the victim again before he grabbed the bike and hit the man in the head with a beer bottle.

Fielden tried to hit the man with the beer bottle again when they wrestled over the bike, but the man knocked the bottle out of his hand and pushed him into a stop sign.

The man had swelling around his nose and lower lip, and received three stitches for a cut on his forehead and one stitch for a cut on his chin after being taken to hospital.

Fielden denied hitting the man with the bottle and wanting to take the bike, and told police “I was drunk and I can’t remember a thing”.

In sentencing, Judge John Kelly said although the offending was serious, there was no premeditation and “no lasting damage” to the victim.

The judge told Fielden he was “lucky your victim didn’t get a serious injury”.

Judge Kelly noted medical reports that said Fielden had a hole in his heart and his mental health had declined.

Judge Kelly also spoke about how Fielden was raised in an environment where he was exposed to alcohol and illicit drug abuse and domestic violence, and he had started drinking at 14 and had been binge-drinking most weekends.

The judge acknowledged Fielden was aware of the connection between his mental health decline and alcohol use, and had been going to Alcoholics Anonymous meetings since the offending.

The judge said Fielden’s enthusiastic participation in the Koori Court process also weighed in his favour, and said the “prospects of rehabilitation are positive”.

Fielden was sentenced to a 15-month community corrections order without conviction.

As a part of the order, Fielden must complete 100 hours of unpaid community work and 75 hours of treatment rehabilitation, which include getting assessed and treated for his alcohol, drug and mental health issues.