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ORIGINAL POST IN BLOGFINGER.NET, OCEAN GROVE, NEW JERSEY, USA.   JULY 15, 2011.  RE-POST   9/30/25.   BY CHARLES LAYTON. STAFF, BLOGFINGER.NET

NOTE: Got your attention? Flip the world upside down and you’ll find another Ocean Grove. It’s on Australia’s Bellarine Peninsula, and I’ve come to think of it as our sister city. It’s often more interesting than its namesake here — or, let’s say, interesting in a different way. Here is a story from The Geelong Advertiser, which is quickly becoming my favorite newspaper, now that The News of the World is gone. — Charles Layton

A THUG defended in court by Geelong councillor Jan Farrell was previously involved in a “nasty” bashing of a mate who was hit over the head with two beer stubbies.

More details about Tobias Sheehan’s violent past have emerged as Cr Farrell refused to answer questions yesterday.

The Geelong Advertiser can reveal Sheehan, 25, was convicted and sentenced to a 12-month community-based order in 2004 after he stormed into a mate’s home where he punched and kicked the man to the face.

Cr Farrell has come under fire for using a council letterhead to defend Sheehan over a seperate incident where he glassed a pub patron at Ocean Grove’s Zebra Crossing bar.

Sheehan was jailed to 2 1/5 years for the Ocean Grove assault last month and must serve at least one year before being eligible for parole.

The state’s council watchdog is now investigating Cr Farrell in a bid to determine if she breached the Local Government Act by using her position as a councillor and council stationary to defend Sheehan.

Football Geelong records also show Sheehan was suspended from the CDFNL in 2009 for three weeks in May for offensive language and another week in August for one week on a rough conduct charge. Sheehan was also banned from the Barwon Heads Hotel for three months in November 2010 after he was involved in a pub brawl.

Cr Farrell refused to answer phone calls or questions sent in an email about the latest revelations yesterday.

Cr Farrell also avoided having her actions debated during a council meeting after she helped vote down a motion brought upon her by a fellow councillor.

Sheehan’s involvement in the 2004 attack came after the victim stole a digital camera from his home but repaid $1000 to cover the cost.

During sentencing, County Court Judge Susan Cohen said Sheehan wanted retribution and a year later barged into the victim’s house and caused the victim to fall backwards after a volley of punches and while on the ground he continued to kick and punch the victim.

“This was a sustained nasty attack on a young man who had been your friend,” Judge Cohen said.

She said the victim fell onto a mattress-less bed and another beer bottle was broken over his head by Sheehan’s mate.

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MUSIC by The Outback Singers. (Note on the lyrics: A “swagman” is a hobo, a “billabong” is a small lake, a “jumbuck” is a sheep, and the phrase “til his billy boiled” refers to making tea. Oh yes, and “waltzing Matilda” means to tramp about in search of work — derived from the Matilda bag in which the swagman carries his meager possessions. In this song the bag is called a “tucker bag.”)