Craig Cotton: feuding Hurstbridge neighbours end up in court

They were best mates for 21 years, but something went terribly downhill for one Hurstbridge father-of-three to end up in court.

Craig Cotton sprayed expletives on his Hurstbridge neighbour’s wall.

A Hurstbridge man spray painted expletives on his former best friend’s house and punched him in the mouth during an ugly neighbourhood dispute, a court has heard.

Father-of-three and local plumber Craig Cotton pleaded guilty on Wednesday to the November 2020 attacks, which Cotton’s lawyer said were the combination of drinking and mental health issues.

Cotton, 49, appeared alongside his long-term partner on video link while Senior Constable Grant Smith related to court the attacks — one of which required the intervention of the woman sitting beside him, the court was told.

Senior Constable Smith told the Broadmeadows Magistrates’ Court that shortly before 10pm on November 18, Cotton, with a cigarette in his mouth, walked to his neighbours home and wrote “scared little C***” – causing $200 worth of damage.

One week prior Cotton had been served with a court order forbidding him from attending the victim’s address, Senior Constable Smith told the court.

On November 24, unaware that the victim wasn’t at home, Cotton walked to his former friend’s house and yelled out “come out you C***.”

Senior Constable Smith said that only the victim’s daughter was home when he unexpectedly arrived, shortly before 7pm.

The victim’s daughter, who along with the victim cannot be named, quickly phoned her father – who arrived at the family home only to film himself being punched and kicked by Cotton on his mobile phone, the court was told.

Only Cotton’s partner of more than 20 years managed to break-up the dispute.

Aleisha McCarron, for the defence, said that her client had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder and had endured a “serious decline” in his mental health a decade ago.

Cotton self-medicated with alcohol, Ms McCarron told the court, which was a factor in the offending which led to his court appearance, she said.

Ms McCarron said that he had previously run a successful plumbing business prior to his breakdown, and that two sons continued to live at home with him and his partner.

She said that Cotton was not a risk to the community, and requested and adjourned undertaking for her client and a non-conviction.

Magistrate John Hardy told Cotton that it was not his fault he suffered bipolar, but declined the requested non-conviction.

Mr Hardy convicted Cotton and fined him $1,500.