Court rant, magistrate unmoved

A MAN who admitted to screaming at and threatening to punch a police officer has told the Southport Magistrates Court in a lengthy rant during sentencing he was “sick” of harassment from police officers.

Anthony Ryan pleaded guilty to public nuisance yesterday over an incident on May 29 at a park on Lawson St, Southport.

Police prosecutor Senior Constable Daniel McShane told the court police approached Ryan and a group drinking in the park about 4.15pm and asked them to stop yelling.

Sen-Const McShane said during the interaction Ryan waved his arms, yelled and made threats to police and “interfered with passage” of people on Lawson St.

Ryan, who represented himself in court, said the facts were “crap”.

“Wave my hands like a noonoo – I have never done that in my life,” he said. “When it comes to saying I was going to punch a police officer that is because he was saying he was going to smash me.”

Ryan also told the court that “six coppers rocked up trying to intimidate me”.

Sen-Const McShane said he would not accept that an officer had stood over or threatened Ryan.

Magistrate John Costanzo fined Ryan $500.