West Coast Eagles player Isiah Winder attacked tourists outside R Hotel Geelong, court proceedings

A West Coast Eagles young gun was so drunk he can’t remember the attack the night he headbutted and abused a Hong Kong tourist, a court heard.

Geelong Magistrates’ Court heard on Wednesday that after a night of heavy drinking in early December, Isiah Winder, 20, opened the door of a car rented by the tourist and his girlfriend outside the R Hotel in Geelong before hitting the victim twice in the head bumped called him a “stupid prick”.

Winder, who has played seven games for West Coast, was in Geelong for the AFL/AFLPA Indigenous and Multicultural Players Summit, which ran from late November to early December last year, the court heard.

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Dressed in a white shirt and black tie, Winder, represented by Dr. David Grace KC, a court diversionary scheme that requires him to pay $1,500 to the Mark West Foundation and write a letter of apology to his victim.

People are eligible for a diversion plan if they accept responsibility for the crime, however, when a diversion plan is entered into, the charges are generally dropped and no guilt is found.

Documents released by the court show Winder is charged with two counts of unlawful assault against the tourist.

A prosecutor told the court that on Saturday, March 3, the victim and his girlfriend, Winder,

Winder approached her car and opened one of the doors before grabbing the victim’s shirt and attacking him, the court heard.

The victim, who the court heard said she has no injuries but has refused to correspond with the court about the attack, hid in the foyer of the R Hotel – to which Winder later returned to go to his own room.

Prosecutors said when police arrived that Winder was too drunk to be spoken to.

dr Grace said Winder attended a summit-related event on Saturday night where “the alcohol flowed freely” before heading to the Geelong Hotel, where he continued to drink, and left when he felt sick.

He said his client had “no recollection of what happened”.

dr Grace said the actions were “out of character” and that Winder has not been drinking since the night of the incident.

He said Winder wanted to forge a successful football career that night and “right the wrong thing,” and said Winder made himself “outstanding” in the AFL through his determination despite “big hurdles that were put in his way.”

Chancellor of Justice Michael Bolte said Mr Winder was a “disciplined and determined” person who had learned a “real life lesson”.

Mr Bolte said he doubted Winder would find himself involved in the criminal justice system again.

“I wish you all the best,” he said to the athlete. No conviction was recorded.

Court Chancellor Bolte said the diversion will run until November 8 this year.

People are eligible for a diversion plan if they accept responsibility for the crime, however, when a diversion plan is entered into, the charges are generally dropped and no guilt is found.

Winder was drafted 57th overall in the 2020 AFL Draft.

He was dropped from the list at the end of last season before being re-picked in the rookie draft.

The AFL and West Coast Eagles have been contacted for comment.