Jai Ruseler pleads guilty to behaving in an indecent manner in a public place

A man’s “atrocious” and vulgar conduct after approaching a man and his son on a suburban Geelong street, before exposing himself to the father, has landed him in court.

Jai Ruseler

A man who exposed himself after approaching a father and son on a suburban Geelong street admits he wouldn’t like to be on the receiving end of his own behaviour.

Jai Peter Ruseler, 31, appeared in the Geelong Magistrates Court on Thursday and pleaded guilty to charges including behaving in an indecent manner in a public place.

Police prosecutor Senior Constable Kiley Gray told the court a man was walking on Neptune Ave in Newcomb with his son on January 16 this year, when they came upon Ruseler.

Ruseler wanted the boy’s scooter, but the man said it was not for sale, agitating Ruseler.

Ruseler told the man: “I’ll suck your f--king d--k, I’ll lick your f--king arse,” the court heard.

Constable Gray said Ruseler asked the man if he wanted to know “why I’m not wearing any jocks?” before exposing his genitalia to the man.

During the interaction man’s son was frightened and ran off. He was not exposed to Ruseler’s genitalia.

A short while later, Ruseler was in a nearby reserve and asked a man for his wallet and put his hands down the man’s front pocket, the court heard.

After being arrested, Ruseler “deliberately urinated and spat on the floor” of a police cell, resulting in the urine spilling under the door and into the corridor outside.

He was deemed unfit for interview. At a bail hearing in January, Ruseler said he was “fairly intoxicated” on the day.

At the time, Ruseler was on bail for threatening behaviour at a unit block in November last year, including hurling abuse at a man while holding scissors.

The court heard Ruseler was in breach of a two-year community corrections order he was placed on for offences including recklessly causing injury.

Ruseler’s lawyer, Robert Morgan, told the court Ruseler’s priors “weren’t extensive”, he had pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity, and asked for a sentence of time served.

His 63-day stint in custody had been “nothing short of onerous”, Mr Morgan said, as Ruseler was assaulted “through no fault of his own” and left with a broken jaw and four broken ribs.

Ruseler did not attempt to excuse “the wrongfulness of his behaviour” Mr Morgan said.

“His behaviour is atrocious, he accepts that,” Mr Morgan said, adding Ruseler “feels poorly” for his victims and “wouldn’t like it done to him”.

“He expresses shame, embarrassment and disappointment,” Mr Morgan said, feelings that were compounded by the stresses he’d placed on his own family.

“He’s put his mother through hell … he simply does not want his decisions to negatively impact on loved ones and the community,” Mr Morgan said.

The court heard Ruseler had stable accommodation lined up and wanted to get a job.

Constable Gray argued for more jail time, noting the incidents were “unprovoked attacks on innocent victims”.

“There’s no rhyme or reason for these attacks … (the victims) haven’t engaged the accused, he’s engaged them,” she said, noting Ruseler had relevant priors.

Ruseler will reappear in court on March 28.

Originally published as Jai Ruseler pleads guilty to behaving in an indecent manner in a public place