Brian Withell was sentenced to a good behaviour bond in the Adelaide Magistrates Court for assaulting a police officer

A southern suburbs man told a police officer “f*** you, let’s go” before punching him in the mouth outside an Adelaide shisha lounge.

Brian Withell was sentenced to a one-year good behaviour bond in the Adelaide Magistrates Court for assaulting a police officer. Picture: Facebook

A Christies Beach man has little recollection of blocking a police officer from entering a shisha lounge and then punching him in the face, a court has heard.

Brian John Withell, 39, is now trying to live a “more peaceful life” after becoming aggressive on a night out.

A police prosecutor told the Adelaide Magistrates Court an off duty police officer was at the Empire Shisha Lounge in Adelaide on February 27.

“He attempted to walk inside the shisha lounge when he was approached by an unknown male – the male stood in the way of the victim preventing him from entering the premises,” the police prosecutor said.

Brian Withell was sentenced to a one-year good behaviour bond in the Adelaide Magistrates Court for assaulting a police officer. Picture: AAP/Morgan Sette.

The court heard Withell clenched his fist and adapted a fighting stance despite the police officer asking him multiple times to move.

“He moved closer and said f*** you, let’s go,” the police prosecutor said.

“The victim has shown the male his police identification and identified himself as a police officer.”

The court heard Withell continued to be aggressive and the victim and another man needed to use force to push Withell to move.

“The victim states that the male stood up from being pushed and he punched the victim to the left side of his mouth,” the police prosecutor said.

Withell pleaded guilty in court on Monday to assault police and unlawful possession.

Con O’Neill, for Withell, told the court his client – a father of six – was now receiving help.

“He can’t remember the incident but he agrees he did it,” Mr O’Neill said.

“He was homeless for a while, he’s trying to repair his life and have a more peaceful life.

“He has to stay off alcohol and illicit drugs, he knows that.”

Magistrate Paul Bennett said it appeared Withell’s life had taken a turn for the better since the incident.

“I accept you don’t have much or any memory of that and after quite a bit of to and fro you hit him once,” he said.

Mr Bennett sentenced Withell to a one-year good behaviour bond of $500.

Convictions were recorded.