Marcus Corelli: Earlwood man sentenced for assaulting security guard at Kingsgrove Hotel

An unemployed man was out drinking with a mate when he got into a slinging match with another patron. When the staff tried to break it up, the man became aggressive.

A young Earlwood man punched a security guard before fleeing from police during a drunken and aggressive altercation, a court has heard.

Marcus Corelli, 22, appeared in Sutherland Local Court on Tuesday where he was sentenced for the incident, with the Magistrate labelling his actions that night as “unacceptable”.

Agreed facts tendered to court said Corelli was drinking at Kingsgrove Hotel on February 4 this year with a male friend and got into a confrontation with a regular patron.

Corelli approached the man about 10.15pm in the gaming room and began verbally abusing and aggressively pointing at him.

The hotel security guard and manager intervened and tried to calm Corelli down.

Marcus Corelli was sentenced in Sutherland Local Court after he assaulted a security guard after being asked to leave Kingsgrove hotel. Picture: Ashleigh Tullis

In response, Corelli pushed the guard and manager in the chests and danced around in a fighting position with both fists raised.

Corelli used his left fist to punch the guard before other patrons and staff intervened.

Once Corelli was escorted outside, he called back to the guard, “come out, we will come back and kill you”.

He was also not wearing a face mask while inside the hotel, which breached the public health order.
Corelli left in his car with his friend but they remained in the area, driving past the hotel three times.

Police arrived a short time later and viewed CCTV before being notified the men were in the alley next to the hotel.

Corelli was arrested but he ran away from officers on foot.

Police patrolled the area and found him nearby a short time later before he was handcuffed and taken to Kogarah Police Station.

The documents noted Corelli was aggressive and disrespectful towards police, was intimidating them, called them derogatory names and tried to get them to fight him.

Corelli was charged with common assault, intimidation, failing to comply with public health orders and escaping police custody.

In court, Corelli’s lawyer noted her client had family support and used to have a “substantial” drug habit of $5000 per week which he was addressing.

She said he suffered from underlying mental health conditions and alcohol issues.

She said Corelli, who is a father of two, understood the seriousness of the behaviour.

Magistrate Hugh Donnelly said violence in hotels was “unacceptable” and when Corelli was asked to leave he should have gone without incident but he did not due to his level of intoxication.

He said Corelli’s conduct “ruined” people’s nights when they should be able to relax and have a good time, or in the case of the security guard and manager, do their jobs without fear of being attacked.

“Young male violence while intoxicated is unacceptable,” Magistrate Donnelly said before encouraging him to “think about” about his actions and go down a different path.

Corelli was sentenced to a community correction order where he must be of good behaviour for 18 months; and complete alcohol and relapse prevention counselling. He was also fined $600.