An East Geelong man who was in possession of just under 400 grams of cannabis was involved in a number of assaults.
Rodney O’Toole, a 40-year-old man pleaded guilty in the Geelong Magistrates’ Court to three counts of unlawful assault and possession of cannabis.
On August 27, 2022 O’Toole was behaving erratically and was yelling at a man in East Geelong.
The victim told him to f— off and after he was spat on by O’Toole, he took him to the ground and wrestled him for a few minutes before police arrived.
On August 29, 2022 O’Toole’s neighbour was at his home when he heard the defendant yelling out the front of his place.
The court was told the victim walked out the front of his home and tried to shut the front gate, however O’Toole forcibly pushed the gate open causing the gate to hit with the victims legs.
Police said O’Toole then spat at the victim and kept abusing him before punching him three times to the face.
After being assaulted the victim called police. In an interview with police, O’Toole denied punching the victim.
On September 1, 2022, O’Toole was yelling at two women at a petrol station and followed the women into a store.
The women asked the store clerk to call police and were then approached by O’Toole who threw one of the women to the ground and scratched her.
After he scratched the women, he pushed the other women as he exited the store.
On August 31, 2022, about 7.30am, police attended East Geelong because O’Toole was acting in an erratic manner.
When police arrived they searched his backpack which had three large plastic bags, which contained 395 grams of cannabis.
O’Toole’s lawyer said his client has had a problem with drugs, and the offences occurred within a six day period. He will be sentenced in court May 18.