Former Collingwood VFL player Chas Bromley pleads guilty to bashing Mildura police members

A troubled ex footy talent who claimed “older” Carlton players offered him cocaine has admitted bashing multiple Mildura cops.

Former Collingwood VFL player Chas Bromley pleaded guilty to further violent offending. Facebook.

A former top junior footballer and convicted carjacker was bounced back into the slammer after he attacked multiple regional police.

Chas Bromley, 28, fronted the County Court on Monday after pleading guilty to multiple recklessly cause serious injury of emergency workers charges.

Bromley, a former Collingwood VFL player, assaulted three Mildura-based Victoria Police members in June last year.

The once highly touted AFL prospect also admitted unlawful assault and damage property charges arising from separate incidents which also occurred last year.

The defence submitted Bromley, who spent 95 days on remand for the assaults, shifted from Melbourne to Mildura to live with his mum in June 2021.

The court heard Bromley’s mental health issues flared up after moving to regional Victoria but later “stabilised” following his recent custody stint.

Bromley, currently on bail, fronted court on Monday for breaching court orders handed to him after he attacked a nurse in broad daylight Northcote on January 4, 2019.

Bromley, who pleaded guilty to carjacking and dangerous driving, was sentenced to 293 days jail time and two community correction orders for his frightening escapade.

Bromley (right) during his Northern Knights stint.

Bromley had used meth when he attacked his victim on Evans Crescent and demanded her car keys.

The victim – who had been caring for an elderly patient in the area – ran away but Bromley chased her down.

She screamed for help after Bromley stopped her from entering a nearby house.

Bromley then threw the nurse to the ground and stomped on her foot.

The pair struggled until Bromley ripped the car keys from the nurse’s hand.

She chased after him but Bromley sped away in her Holden Viva wagon.

Bromley ran a red light near Darebin Rd and collided with a BMW but drove off.

Police found the car abandoned in Thomastown early on January 6.

Investigators linked Bromley to the crime through clothing, CCTV and blood found in the car.

In her victim statement, the nurse said she was “hyper-vigilant”, and “terrified” when approached by others.

The victim said her trauma lasted well after Bromley’s attack, telling the court she ran across a busy road and into oncoming traffic after she was approached on the street by a woman.

Judge George Georgiou, who presided over Monday’s breach hearing, said, during sentencing, Bromley’s offending was “clearly serious”.

“An innocent person was subjected to a terrifying ordeal in which she suffered physical injury as well as significant psychological trauma,” he said.

However, Judge Georgiou accepted Bromley was in a psychotic state due to a schizophrenic condition.

He said drug use “may have” heightened the condition.

“I find that your level of culpability for the offending was substantially reduced by reason of your mental illness,” Judge Georgiou said.

Bromley attracted the interest of several AFL clubs.

“Further, your offending was not premeditated, the carjacking occurred on the spur of the moment and was of relatively short duration, your conduct was clearly unsophisticated.”

At his plea, the court heard Bromley was an “exceptionally talented junior footballer” who “attracted the interest of AFL clubs”.

Bromley played TAC Cup football with the Northern Knights before he was invited to train with the Carlton Football Club, the court heard.

Bromley – through his 2020 lawyer – said he was “encouraged” to socialise with Carlton’s VFL side’s “older players” while at the club.

The court heard Bromley was offered cocaine.

His lawyer later told the Herald Sun it was “reported to him” that the older players gave Bromley the cocaine.

Carlton offered Bromley a spot on their VFL list but he opted to play for Collingwood instead.

Bromley, a midfielder, played for Collingwood’s VFL side between 2013 and 2014 but was delisted due to his drug use.

His drug use worsened and he became homeless after he was axed by Collingwood.

Bromley – who hasn’t played football since 2017 – had hoped to resume his career.

The court heard Bromley had stopped using drugs and was back on his medication.

Bromley, who was fined $300 for breaching the court orders, will front a pre-sentence hearing at the Mildura County Court in April.

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