By Kayla Olaya and Sally Rawsthorne
A teenager charged over an ugly brawl at Manly Wharf that forced the intervention of Nine’s interim chief executive, Matt Stanton, has pleaded not guilty to riot and affray.
Emillio Martinez of Bonnyrigg Heights appeared in Manly Local Court on Wednesday morning, flanked by his family, as he entered a plea of not guilty.
Emillio Martinez did not answer reporters’ questions as he hurried into a waiting car. Credit: Nick Moir
The brawl involved around 40 youths and highlighted antisocial behaviour in the affluent beachside suburb as the mob allegedly attacked a boy outside the ferry terminal on January 6.
Martinez, 18, is one of three people charged under Strike Force Crookhaven, which was set up to investigate the incident.
Martinez will return to court in March and remains on bail. He has been banned from the Northern Beaches area except for court appearances under the terms of the bail conditions.
He is also required to follow “all reasonable requests of [his] parents” and adhere to an overnight curfew.
Martinez left Manly Local Court shielding his face with a piece of paper as he walked quickly to a waiting car. He did not answer reporters’ questions about what he was doing that night.
A 15-year-old boy, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, and Royce Jenson, 20, have also been charged over the incident, with Martinez’s Legal Aid solicitor noting “there are potentially more” charges coming.
Jensen, of Wyong, has pleaded guilty to common assault and not guilty to rioting.
The assault charge relates to one of the adult bystanders. He will return to court next month.
Martinez is banned from entering the Northern Beaches under the terms of his bail conditions. Credit: Nick Moir
After police issued an appeal for the diners who rushed to save the victim as he was hauled into a restaurant, Nine’s Matt Stanton was revealed by the Herald as one of the men who intervened. Nine is the owner of this masthead.
Stanton was dining with his wife at a restaurant near Manly Wharf when he heard a crowd roaring down the street outside.
Diners and tourists could only watch as the group of about 40 young people allegedly began punching and kicking a single teenage boy, who had dropped to the ground in the fray.
Matt Stanton (in striped shirt) on the night of the brawl.Credit: NSW Police
One couple rushed in and pulled the boy from the mob before being punched, spat on and hit with bottles.
They dragged the boy, who was “screaming for his life” according to his rescuer, into the Fratelli Fresh restaurant nearby and tried to block the door.
Stanton, who was appointed acting chief executive last September following the resignation of Mike Sneesby, ran over, braced the door and faced down members of the mob.
“It was natural instinct – probably a stupid instinct, as my wife told me afterward,” Stanton said.
“I just held the door and said, ‘No, no, you’re not coming in.’ ”
Young males from the mob allegedly twice spat in Stanton’s face as they tried to menace him into moving out of the way.
Stanton said the alleged attackers were mostly young and eventually gave up trying to get the boy sheltering in the restaurant.
The youths left as police arrived, with investigators finding a large knife in the street as the group dispersed.
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