Teenage son of former footy star is hauled before the courts on assault charges after KISSING a bouncer at a Bondi pub
- The teenage son of a former Rabbitohs star kissed a bouncer as a form of assault
- He and a friend were refused entry to Bondi Hotel in the early hours of April 14
- They antagonised the bouncer and told him to walk around the corner to fight
- Donato then kissed the bouncer on his top lip while being egged on by his friend
- James Donato pleaded guilty to assault in Waverly Local court this week
A former NRL star’s son has pleaded guilty to assaulting a bouncer by kissing him on the lips after he wasn’t allowed into a bar.
James Donato, 18, son of former Rabbitohs player Shannon Donato, appeared in Waverly Local Court this week to face assault charges, the Daily Telegraph reported.
The court heard that James Donato and his friend were refused entry to the Bondi Hotel in the early hours of April 14, and ignored repeated instructions to leave.
They then antagonised the bouncer and told him to walk around the corner of the pub to fight.
James Donato (right), 18, son of former Rabbitohs player Shannon Donato (left), appeared in Waverly Local Court this week where he pleaded guilty to assault charges after kissing a bouncer in Bondi
Donato then kissed the security guard on his top lip without consent while being egged on by his friend, also aged 18.
A fight broke out and the bouncer pinned Donato to the ground, before the friend jumped on the bouncer’s back.
Police arrested the two teens and found 0.43 grams of cocaine in Donato’s wallet.
The bouncer was uninjured after the scuffle but was left with minor redness on his forehead.
But Donato’s lawyer Rebecca Dunlop said there was a verbal exchange between the teens and the security guard prior to the kissing assault.
The court heard that James Donato and his friend were refused entry to the Bondi Hotel in the early hours of April 14, and was asked repeatedly to leave
‘Some were unsavoury towards my client … there was this silly encouragement … in my submission, it was a common assault that was quite fleeting,’ she said.
Donato was found guilty of common assault, remaining in the vicinity of a licensed premises, as well as possessing a prohibited drug.
The son of the Rabbitohs’ club’s chief commercial officer avoided a conviction on the three charges.
Magistrate Greg Grogin sentenced Donato to a two-year conditional release order.
‘I constantly tell people not to get involved in fights by punching them – I very rarely tell them not to get involved in fights by kissing them,’ he said.
Mr Grogin said Donato was fortunate the bouncer didn’t react in a more harsh way than he did.
‘You’re lucky you didn’t receive something (more) substantial from him as a natural reaction. You’re a good footballer … you only left school last year … you’re a person of otherwise good character … if you’re told to leave the premises because you’re drunk, leave, don’t go assaulting anybody in any way.’
James’ father Shannon Donato returned to his first club, the South Sydney Rabbitohs as Chief Commercial Officer and in 2016 he became the Acting Chief Executive Officer. (Pictured: playing for the Cronulla Sharks in 2000)