Big Brother contestant Rory Ammon blames 'pop star-like' fame for drunken behaviour
FORMER housemate cites his celebrity status while in court over alcohol-fuelled offences.
FORMER Big Brother housemate Rory Ammon has blamed national celebrity for the drunken behaviour that resulted in his fronting Geelong court on criminal charges yesterday.
But Magistrate Stephen Myall told Ammon's lawyer, Wendy Gibbons, he had never heard of Ammon or Big Brother.
Ms Gibbons said Ammon, who resisted police and refused to give his name and address after a night out, had been a star on the former Big Brother series and was well known around the country.
"There is a lot of media interest in him, almost like that of a pop star," she said.
Ms Gibbons said Ammon had been out with his girlfriend for a drink on October 11 last year and decided to go home after being hassled.
"He now realises he is not a person who can do that easily any more and wants to lead a quiet life," she said.
Ammon, 23, pleaded guilty in Geelong Magistrates' Court to resisting police, refusing to state his name and address, indecent language, riotous behaviour and being drunk in a public place in the early hours of October 11.
Police prosecutor Leading Senior Constable Rob Allen said Ammon and some friends had been in a taxi when the driver felt threatened when one of the group became aggressive after the driver refused to do an illegal U-turn in Moorabool St.
"The driver asked the group to get out of the taxi but they refused," Sen-Constable Allen said.
She said police attended and all of the group, with the exception of Ammon, got out of the car.
"After repeated requests Ammon got out and police observed he was unsteady on his feet and smelt of intoxicating liquor," he said.
"He then became abusive yelling, 'F...ing taxis, f...ing cops'.
"When warned to behave himself, Ammon yelled, 'I'm going to f...ing smash you'."
Sen-Constable Allen said Ammon was arrested for being drunk and when asked his details, yelled, "F... off, you know who I am".
"When officers attempted to handcuff him, he resisted and began to struggle," he said.
"He was wrestled to the ground and handcuffed but continued to struggle with police until he was subdued with capsicum spray."
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Under new legislation aimed at making the CBD safe from drunken behavior, Sen-Constable Allen also applied to have Ammon banned from city hotels and nightclubs for three months.
Ammon was convicted on all counts, fined $1000 and banned from CBD nightspots for three months.