Earlier this month, both victims filed a statement of claim in the County Court seeking damages for their injuries, which included post-traumatic stress disorder. After enjoying a set by US performer Eric Andre, Mr Booth said he was waiting in the Comic's Lounge bar when a man started to heckle him. "It seemed like the heckling of a comedian, so I heckled him back. I got more laughs than he did," Mr Booth said. Steven Booth's bloodied and battered face after the attack. "I said, 'Mate, I hope you're not a comedian with that material' and he said 'Yeah, I am', and I could tell that I'd upset him. Then he wanted to fight, straight away. It wasn't swearing or aggressive, just generic comedian heckling so I thought we were in a safe space."

Working behind the bar was another comedian, Ismail Mohammed – who is performing at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival under the name Izzy Ali. Mr Mohammed told Mr Booth to leave the club. Mr Booth said he was followed outside by a group including Mr Mohammed, another staff member and the other so-called comedian. Comedian Izzy Ali. Credit:YouTube "I thought, 'Are they apologising? What's going on here?' I didn't know they knew each other," he said. "Next minute, I was punched in the mouth, my tooth flew out of my head. I fell on the ground and they're all kicking and stomping me. My friend came over trying to get them to stop, they knocked him out cold, stomped him a few times, then they all left."

Mr Booth said he and his friends had consumed alcohol throughout the night but were not out-of-control drunk. An image of a third man involved in the attack outside the Comic's Lounge. Credit:Nine News Mr Mohammed, a Raw Comedy finalist in 2015, was put on a good behaviour bond over the attack and ordered to pay a $5000 donation to the Royal Children's Hospital after pleading guilty to affray in the Melbourne Magistrates Court in July 2017. His colleague, Sunbury man Thomas Borg, was convicted and also fined $5000 after pleading guilty to affray. Thomas Borg Credit:

Police were unable to identify the third man who had heckled Mr Booth. Both Mr Mohammed and Mr Borg were also ordered to pay a combined total of $7700 compensation to their victims. Mr Mohammed was ordered to pay a higher amount because of his greater role in the attack. In their writ, Mr Booth and the other victim claim Mr Mohammed and Mr Borg assaulted them with punches and kicks to the head, neck and ribs. They are also suing Comedians Pty Ltd, the company that owns The Comic's Lounge. Mr Booth said the pair was seeking as much as $500,000. Steven Booth's knees after he was attacked outside The Comics Lounge in December 2016. Mr Mohammed declined to comment when contacted by The Age. The Comic's Lounge also did not respond.