Alcohol warning: Numurkah men Trent Lowrie and Robert Gibbons in court

Two Numurkah men who broke into a home, with one punching an elderly man in the head, have been told neither of them can afford to drink alcohol.

A man who punched an 82 year old on the night of AFL Grand Final last year admitted to being intoxicated at the time.

Two Numurkah men have admitted to being “very intoxicated” when one of them punched an 82 year old man on AFL Grand Final day.

Trent Lowrie, 28, and Robert Gibbons, 27, were guilty of trespassing, criminal damage and recklessly cause injury.

On September 28, a Numurkah man woke to find Gibbons and Lowrie had forced open a side door to his home.

Gibbins punched the man in the head at least five times while Lowrie walked around the house.

He suffered lacerations to his lip, eyebrows and chin and was taken to GV hospital for treatment.

Gibbins and Lowrie were arrested shortly after leaving the house and gave no comment interviews to police.

Trent Lowrie, 28, and Robert Gibbons, 27 appeared in the Shepparton Magistrate’s Court for charges of trespassing, criminal damage and recklessly cause injury. Picture: Jack Colantuono

Both men appeared in Shepparton Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday.

Defence lawyer for Lowrie, Jess Hotchki,n said it was “unclear why the incident occurred” but Lowrie was very intoxicated after drinking at a friend’s house then the pub.

“He accepts responsibility for the offending,” she said.

Ms Hotchkin said Lowrie was complicit in the assault and was remorseful for his actions.

She said the father of two had since taken steps voluntarily to reduce his alcohol intake, due to start counselling for it in the coming weeks, and had done an anger management course.

“He wants to set a good example for his children and knows this was not that,” she said.

Bryony Seignior, lawyer for Gibbons, said he was regretful and remorseful for his conduct.

“He wanted to personally apologise to the victim but knew it wouldn’t be appropriate,” she said.

“It is serious offending, both parties were intoxicated at the time and there’s no apparent degree of planning or sophistication.

Ms Seignior said Gibbins used alcohol to self-medicate for bouts of depression.

She said he had begun alcohol counselling and knew it was a long road ahead.

Both defence lawyers said their client had “excellent” prospects of rehabilitation.

Numurkah men Trent Lowrie and Robert Gibbons have been told to continue to address their alcohol issues before returning to court to for sentencing.

Magistrate Olivia Trumble decided to defer sentencing for both men as they are in early stages of counselling and wanted to “see how they go”.

She said if she sentenced on Wednesday she would have been bound to have them assessed for community corrections orders.

“I don’t want to burden corrections with two people who are capable of dealing addressing their issues themselves,” she said.

“It’s very clear your behaviour was completely out of character … it makes no sense what either of you were doing.

“Neither of you can afford to drink alcohol, that’s the reality.”

Ms Trumble said if both men progressed with their counselling she was likely to impose a significant fine when they returned to court on May 29.

“If you don’t, we’ll have a problem,” she said.