Video of vicious bashing of footy star Jack Ziebell is played to court as man pleads guilty to breaking Kangaroos skipper’s nose and kicking him while he was down

The man responsible for bashing former Kangaroos captain Jack Ziebell just hours after his last match has pleaded guilty as a video of the shocking incident was played in court.

Ibrahim Behluli, 21, pleaded guilty in the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday to two charges of affray by behaving in a riotous manner and causing injury with intent.

The young man sat with his head bowed behind his lawyer, Anthony Malkoun, while two camera images of about a minute and a half were shown in the courtroom.

The North Melbourne stalwart, who played 280 games in 14 years with the AFL club, was celebrating with teammates and staff when he was attacked by Behluli outside the Osborne Rooftop & Bar about 1am on August 20 last year.

The court was told Mr Ziebell had gone outside to check on a ‘friend’ after being told several members of his group had been involved in a fight.

Ziebell is shown leaving the hospital after the attack with serious facial injuries

Behluli, who was wearing a red and orange ‘flamed top’, attacked the 32-year-old and pushed him against a wall before throwing a punch ‘with such force’ that Mr Ziebell was knocked to the ground.

He then kicked Mr Ziebell in the body before running away.

The court was told that medical records showed Mr Ziebell had a broken nose and cuts to his lip and was taken to hospital.

In a summary of the offence, Behluli, along with two friends, had attended the South Yarra location less than an hour before the violence broke out.

The trio were ejected from the venue shortly after 12.50pm when an altercation broke out between Behluli and Kangaroos striker Charlie Comben, who was pushed to the ground and punched six times in the neck.

Another player, Curtis Taylor, had intervened to pull Behluli off Mr. Comben and was pushed by Behluli before security became involved.

Also on Thursday, co-offender Masihullah Rawani, 27, was convicted and fined $1,800 after pleading guilty to a charge of riotous conduct in a public place.

Ibrahim Behluli covered his face as he left court on Wednesday

Masihullah Rawani refused to speak to the media as he left the court

“Mr. Rawani, this is behavior of the worst kind in a public venue where alcoholics and public patrons seek to congregate to enjoy themselves,” Magistrate David Starvaggi said.

‘While I accept that you played a minor role, your behavior was intolerable.’

Court records show the third man initially charged in the incident, Abdul Karim, 29, had his charges dismissed during a court hearing last week.

Mr Malkoun told the court there was a “human difference” in the packed room, without going into detail.

He told the court the day after the incident that his client had turned himself in, and urged Mr Starvaggi to note that his client was keen to hold himself accountable.

“There are some safe and solid conclusions that he confronted the matter and turned himself in,” he said.

He said his client, who works in the employment sector, had been ‘accused’ at home by his parents.

Ziebell has since said he was in the wrong place at the wrong time when he was struck

Before the case could go to sentencing, a prosecutor said Mr Ziebell and his wife indicated they wanted to make victim impact statements to the court.

A victim impact statement is a voluntary process where a victim and their loved ones can outline the impact of a crime before sentencing.

Behluli’s case was adjourned until next week to allow Mr Ziebell and his wife to do so.

A month after the attack, Ziebell said he thought he was “in the wrong place at the wrong time.”

“It wasn’t the ideal way to retire, but in saying that, it could have been a lot worse,” he said..

‘Thankfully I have recovered and will make a full recovery.’