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Notorious West Australian bikie Troy Mercanti has been found guilty of fighting in public and fined $2500 after footage emerged of the 58-year-old brawling with a rival club member at The Como Hotel.
The incident occurred in April last year, but the Mongols bikie decided to take the matter to trial, with Magistrate Janelle Scutt on Monday convicting him of fighting in public causing fear and damaging property after a glass panel and two doors were destroyed in the scuffle.
CCTV footage of the fight released by the court shows Mercanti entering the alfresco area of The Como and spotting David Morris sitting at a table with a woman.
Mercanti launches at Morris and the pair fight for more than 20 seconds, smashing up against a glass panel as staff and bystanders attempt to bring the situation under control.
The melee then spilled off-camera into the pub’s carpark.
Mercanti’s lawyer tried to argue at trial that his client was acting in self-defence, and that Morris threw the first punch, but Scutt disagreed, saying Mercanti had the upper hand at all times.
She also dismissed a claim by Morris that he started the fight, labelling him an unreliable witness.
Text messages exchanged between the two men prior to the fight included Morris threatening to fight Mercanti if he ever saw him.
Outside court, Mercanti was asked by reporters how he would pay the fine, to which he replied: “With money.”
It follows the court hearing Mercanti did not have his own bank account because no bank was willing to sign him up.
Decked head-to-toe in a black-and-white outfit – the unofficial uniform of the Mongols since the West Australian government banned bikies wearing their clubs’ insignia – Mercanti also told reporters, “we won the fight didn’t we?” when asked if he regretted starting the brawl.
Asked why he and Morris disliked each other, Mercanti replied: “I can’t tell you that part.”
His lawyer claims Mercanti has tried to contact The Como Hotel to pay for the damages, worth an estimated $855.
Mercanti will return to court later this month to fight separate charges of consorting with a named offender and displaying bikie insignia.
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