Two UOW students have escaped conviction for a midnight brawl in the centre of the Wollongong CBD.
Owen Harris, 20, and Gabriel Esquivel, 21, each entered guilty pleas to one charge of affray.
Tendered court documents state the pair, who both live in student accommodation at the University of Wollongong, were on a night out in the Wollongong CBD on Wednesday, October 19, 2022.
After about three hours the pair left the nightclub and headed east on Crown Street, stopping at a bench near the intersection of Crown and Keira streets.
There, CCTV captured another man unknown to Harris and Esquivel coming up to the pair and words were exchanged before the interaction became "aggressive".
All three then took their shirts off and began fighting on the footpath.
The brawl spilled onto the road, with punches thrown by all three of them.
Shocked passersby called police, stating that a brawl had broken out.
Police arrived shortly afterwards and found all three shirtless before separating them.
After watching the CCTV, police arrested Harris and Esquivel and took them to Wollongong police station.
There, Harris and Esquivel both admitted their role in the incident.
The matter was set for hearing in Wollongong Local Court on Monday, November 20, however lawyers for Harris and Esquivel entered guilty pleas to the charge on their behalf.
Magistrate Michael O'Brien said the experience of being before a court would stay with both for the "rest of your lives".
"While these are serious offences, it is unlikely we will see you again."
Mr O'Brien found both guilty of the offence, but dismissed the matter without recording a conviction.
