Former Canberra Raider Anthony Milford has admitted breaking a car window by throwing a wheelie bin during a disturbance in Brisbane’s nightlife precinct, but assault charges have been dropped.

The 27-year-old was arrested about 2am on 20 September after police responded to reports of a disturbance on Marshall St in Fortitude Valley.

He was originally charged with three counts of assault occasioning bodily harm and one count of wilful damage.

On Monday he pleaded guilty in Brisbane Magistrates Court to one count each of public nuisance and wilful damage.

The assault charges were dismissed after prosecutors said they could offer no evidence.

Four minutes of security camera footage played to the court showed an altercation between Milford and his partner, and the player scuffling with about six members of the public who intervened.

A woman is seen sheltering Milford’s partner against a wall and the player pushes another woman after she grabbed at his hands, prosecutor Miranda Hickey said.

“As a result of the push, the female fell to the ground and hit her head on the concrete.”

She experienced severe pain and headaches for weeks.

The former Broncos star also broke a car window when he threw a wheelie bin “with some force” at the road.

Defence barrister Kim Bryson said the offending was due to a misunderstanding after an argument between Milford and his partner while drinking at a nightclub.

“Mr Milford recognises he could have and should have made other choices that night.”

The charges had already had an “astounding” impact on Milford, who has no criminal history.

Ms Bryson provided character references from coach Wayne Bennett and Milford’s partner, adding her client was now a stay-at-home father to his two children, while his partner had returned to work.

Milford was living in a house he had bought for his parents, together with them and other family members after returning to Queensland after being told a contract in Sydney would no longer be offered due to the pending charges.

“The financial consequence for Mr Milford as a result of losing his employment runs into the hundreds of thousands of dollars,” Ms Bryson said.

“His future remains uncertain because as a result of being charged with these offences … the NRL have refused to register him as a player.”

Magistrate Robbie Davies found Milford was remorseful, and the incident would have been “embarrassing and humiliating” for a person in the public eye.

It had also had an “enormous consequence”.

“It’s obvious professional footballers have to be very, very careful because the public expects a very great deal from them, and so do the clubs and the code generally,” Mr Davies added.

“You are not only letting yourself down with your conduct on this night but you obviously let down the sport that you represented and played so well.”

Mr Davies said Milford’s offending could be summarised as “offensive and arrogant and persistent” but were not bad examples of the charges.

Solicitor David Garrett said Milford had always maintained his innocence in regards to assault charges.

“It’s quite a relief today for him and everyone involved that it’s finally over and he gets a chance to move on,” he said outside court.

The charges came at the end of a horror year for Milford, who was dropped by the Broncos in round 12 and later told his $1 million-a-year deal would not be extended.

The magistrate ordered Milford to pay compensation of $2371 for car damage repairs and placed him on a two-year good behaviour bond.

No conviction was recorded.

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