Mathieu van der Poel has appeared before a court in Australia after his case was brought forward by a day at the request of his lawyer. The Dutch cyclist, who was charged with the common assault of two girls - aged 13 and 14 years - has now been convicted on both charges.
The judge would not take into account the fact Van der Poel was a professional athlete or the fact he was in Australia to ride the World Championships because neither of those factors were mitigating circumstances in the case. The judge also told the Dutch rider he took the law into his own hands and should not have done that, adding he should have called hotel security when the noise-related dispute emerged.
Van der Poel was fined $1,000 and $500 for the assaults - which involved pushing the two girls - though his lawyers indicated he will appeal the conviction. The case was brought forward by one day at the request of Van der Poel's lawyers as the rider was due to travel home on Monday night local time.
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While his passport was taken after his arrest on Saturday night, that was a formality and it was returned to him after the case was heard. Van der Poel was trying to sleep at his hotel on Saturday night when children began knocking on his room door and then running away.
The rider, who was due to ride the elite men's road race at the Wollongong Worlds the following morning, eventually went out to investigate. He was accused of catching up with the two girls and assaulting them as he remonstrated with them for disturbing his sleep.
After the incident, which was on the lower end of the scale of assaults, hotel security was informed and called the police. Van der Poel was arrested and taken to the local police station for several hours. He was released on bail pending his court appearance and did not get back to his hotel until 4am. While he started the road race later on Sunday morning he abandoned not long after the start.
