Matthew Liddle assaulted bar staff, security guards, 7-Eleven attendant and pushed man into a pizza oven
An Ashwood pest assaulted bar staff, patrons and pushed a man into a pizza often during a violent crime spree across the southeastern suburbs.
South East
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An Ashwood thug went on a wild crime spree spitting, punching and verbally abusing bar staff, a 7-Eleven attendant and a Pizza Hut owner.
Matthew Liddle pleaded guilty in Moorabbin Magistrates’ Court on March 28 to nine assault charges.
The court heard Liddle attended a 7-Eleven on the outside of South Yarra train station on June 16 in 2022, where he attempted to purchase a drink.
The attendant recognised him from previous incidents and refused service.
Liddle proceeded to verbally abuse the attendant and spit at her, he punched the plastic screen at the register, breaking the shield and hitting the attendant in the face.
PSO’s were called and Liddle left.
The court heard Liddle also punched a bar manager at the Boundary Hotel in Bentleigh on August 20 in 2022 when he was asked to leave the venue.
Liddle had been collecting used cigarette butts and making threatening motions to punch one of the bar managers, when two other managers approached him.
He punched one of them in the head, before throwing a chair across the hotel and threatening to punch the other, before he eventually left.
The court heard Liddle went to the Boundary Hotel a second time on September 2 in 2022, when he was exhibiting the same behaviour.
In the smokers room, he was seen collecting cigarette butts when he attempted to steal another patron’s lit cigarette.
The man spoke to him, before Liddle punched him directly in the jaw, leaving him with a bruise.
Security attended the smokers area and Liddle left the venue.
The court heard police later interviewed Liddle at his home, where he claimed the assaults were in self defence.
In September, Liddle attended the Centre Rd Pizza Hut in Bentleigh East and demanded a free pizza.
Staff had previously given him free food to de-escalate his aggressive behaviour, the court was told.
When the co-owner told Liddle to leave, he became abusive and spat across the counter at him.
Liddle continued his tirade of insults before entering into the kitchen area, punching the co-owner in the face four times, and pushing him into a pizza oven, causing a burn to his victim’s arm.
The entire incident was caught on CCTV, including Liddle saying “your pizza’s s – t anyway”, before he left the store.
Liddle attracted police attention again on May 14 in 2023, when he threatened and assaulted a security guard at Carnegie Central Shopping Centre.
The court heard Liddle punched and kicked the security guard multiple times after he was asked to leave the centre.
When police approached Liddle, he said he “didn’t remember the incident” but that the security guard had said “derogatory statements” and was being racist towards him.
In court on Thursday Magistrate Jan Maclean said Liddle’s behaviour was “utterly repellent”.
“Spitting at people is awful, randomised assaults are awful,” she said.
“He presents as someone who is an aggressive and violent nuisance.”
Ms Maclean said despite his “concerning behaviour”, she would have him assessed for a community corrections order.
“If he’s not eligible for a CCO, the only alternative I have is imprisonment,” she said.
Liddle will return to Moorabbin Magistrates’ Court for sentence on April 11.
