Man punched in face following altercation after footy final

A member of the notorious Bra Boys previously acquitted of murder faces jail after punching a man in the face following an NRL finals match last year.

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A Bra Boy acquitted of the murder of a homeless man on State of Origin night in 2017 has faced court after punching a stranger in the face eight times during a disagreement over the South Sydney Rabbitohs.

Just two months after a jury found 21-year-old Jackson Travers not guilty of the ­horrific murder of retired bus driver Peter Hofmann, it can be revealed he was arrested for bashing Sateki Tuitavake, 26, outside the Regent ­Redfern Hotel.

After pleading guilty to affray he now faces up to two years behind bars when he is sentenced on Friday.

Peter Hofmann had fallen on hard times and was living in his car when he was murdered. Picture: Supplied

Jackson Travers will be sentenced next week for punching a man outside a bar in Redfern. Picture: Facebook

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Police facts say that the unemployed Travers — described as a member of the Maroubra surf gang known as the “Bra Boys” — had drunk six vodka raspberry lemonades before he left the pub around midnight on September 20, the night the Rabbitohs ended Manly’s season in the NRL semi-finals.

Mr Tuitavake left the hotel shortly after and walked past the group to cross the road, ­before Travers is captured on CCTV shouting something to get his attention. Travers is then seen punching Mr Tuitavake in the face several times.

A plaque bearing the name of homeless murder victim Peter Hofmann. Picture: Supplied.

When police spoke to ­Travers, who ran from the scene, he lied and claimed he was the victim.

Ray Travers and his brother Jackson spent a year behind bars before being found not guilty of murdering Mr Hofmann. Picture: Facebook

According to police facts, he told police he had said “Go the Bunnies” and “Up the Bunnies” before he was attacked.

“It was self-defence, I come out of the pub saying ‘Go the Bunnies’ and he f***ing punched me in the face,” ­Travers said.

Police believed he was the victim of assault before looking at the CCTV which court documents say “clearly depicts (him) to be the instigator”.

Travers and his brother Ray both spent a year behind bars before being found not guilty of murdering Mr Hofmann, who was found stabbed to death in his car on June 21, 2017, which was State of Origin night.

The Crown said a cigarette with Jackson’s DNA was found by police in Mr Hofmann’s car and his blood was found outside.

But, his barrister Ertunc Ozen SC ­argued the evidence was a “red herring” and none of Travers’ fingerprints were on Mr Hofmann’s body.

Originally published as Man punched in face following altercation after footy final