Ex-Big Brother boy in court

Former 2005 Big Brother intruder Heath Tournier, 28, pleaded not guilty in Geelong Magistrates’ Court this week to charges relating to a brawl in a hotel last year.

Tournier is charged with affray, two counts each of recklessly causing injury and unlawful assault, assault by kicking, riotous behaviour and harassing a witness.

Tournier allegedly kicked and punched an unconscious crowd-controller before terrorising staff with a metal bar. He is also alleged to have phoned a witness, telling her he was a member of the Rebels bikie gang and “did all (Tony) Mokbel’s security” for him.

He denies the charges against him. In a taped police record of interview played in Geelong Magistrates’ Court, Tournier said video footage showing his alleged involvement in a brawl outside Torquay Hotel last year was false.

“All of this didn’t happen, mate,” he said.

Michelle Clifford said she was working on the door of the Torquay Hotel in March last year when Mr Tournier and a large group of friends arrived. She said that about midnight she was told to call police and saw crowd controllers trying to evict a struggling Tournier from the hotel.

“It just erupted and people came from everywhere,” she said. “I saw punches being thrown and one of the crowd controllers, Darren (Milley), was on the ground being held down by Heath and another male.

“Heath was straddling Darren and punching him wherever he could.”

“People were stomping on him and kicking him and I saw Heath kicking Darren while he was knocked out.”

She said that when crowd controllers finally managed to get inside and lock the doors, Tournier continued banging on the doors.

“Then I saw Heath at the side window,” she said. “He had this massive big metal pole above his head swinging it towards the glass.

“I yelled to everyone to watch out and put my hands over my head.

“I thought I was gone,” she said.

When asked about being ejected from the hotel, Tournier said he fell to the ground and was struck by a crowd-controller after being pushed from the venue. He denied punching and kneeing a crowd controller while he was on the ground or helping another male drag a second security guard into the street.

“So the video surveillance is telling lies?” an officer asked.

“Yeah,” Tournier replied.

His lawyer suggested the entire incident was part of an initiated attack by security officers upon Mr Tournier.

The hearing continues.

Source: Geelong Advertiser