Police have dropped their case against an Adelaide father who had been charged with assaulting an umpire and spectator at a junior girls' football match last year.
Michael Ian Spoehr, 45, was set to stand trial today in the Adelaide Magistrates Court on two counts of common assault, but the police prosecutor withdrew the charges.
Police had alleged he assaulted the teenage umpire and another man at the under-17 game between Ingle Farm and Edwardstown in May 2021.
Nick Vadasz, for Mr Spoehr, told the Adelaide Magistrates Court that self-defence had always been an issue.
The magistrate ordered police to pay his legal fees worth just over $5,700.
After the incident, Mr Spoehr was banned for life from attending SANFL junior games – the first time in the history of the competition that a spectator had been given such a penalty.
Outside court, Mr Vadasz said his client now wanted the ban lifted so he could watch his daughter play football.
"He has found it very stressful, as most accused people do, especially when they have done nothing wrong," he said.
"I think the prosecution backed the wrong team and like a lot of barrackers they remain one-eyed, instead of being impartial, and they lost."
In a statement, the SANFL said it was aware of today's court hearing but was unable to comment "until we have more information and an understanding of the outcome".
