Afghan veteran pleads after ugly act against police officers

A VETERAN soldier with alleged ties to the Mongols bikie gang tried to rip open a police car door and called officers “f---ing dogs” after they fined his friend for urinating in public, a court was told.

Alan John Joyce, 54, of Perth, was tasered during the violent altercation with police after a night of drinking at Fat Freddy’s Beach Bar and Diner at Broadbeach on November 26.

The Southport Magistrates Court heard the group – which included men with alleged ties to the Mongols – left the venue about 2.30am after Joyce headbutted another patron and smashed a glass.

As they were walking through Broadbeach one man began urinating in public, leading to a police fine.

As the officer wrote a ticket in the police vehicle, Joyce grabbed hold of the passenger door in an attempt to rip it open, while shouting ‘you f---ing dogs’.

His associates tried to pull him off, as police approached them. One associate shoved a police sergeant.

Joyce threw a right hook at the sergeant, but missed, instead hitting a senior constable to the chest, causing his glasses to fall and smash.

Police used force in bringing Joyce to the ground, before another associate attempted to “fly kick” an officer.

Joyce grabbed hold of the sergeant bringing him down.

A third officer then tasered Joyce as he continued to struggle.

He had to be taken to hospital for injuries.

Joyce pleaded guilty on Tuesday via telephone to two counts each of assault police, obstruct police, and public nuisance. It’s understood Joyce has ties to the Mongols outlaw motorcycle gang in Western Australia.

The court heard he had spent 31 years as a soldier in the Australian Defence Force and had been deployed to Afghanistan and East Timor.

His lawyer, Michael Gatenby, said Joyce, a road train driver, travelled to Queensland at short notice because of relaxed border restrictions to see his granddaughter, who he had not yet met.

Because of the rush he forgot his post-traumatic stress disorder medication, which he went without for three days.

“There was I think four car loads of police that watched the group my client was in leave Fat Freddy’s. There was some animosity between other members of the group and police, one of them then starts to urinate in a public place … and it escalated very, very rapidly,” he said of the matter.

“My client says his PTSD kicked in and he acted in what can only be described as an appalling matter and he very much regrets it.”

Magistrate Michelle Dooly fined Joyce $1800.

“This is an appalling matter. You’ve come to Queensland when the borders opened presumably to see your grandchild and you’ve decided to spend your time in this kind of behaviour,” she said.

“It’s really appalling and you should be ashamed of yourself.”

No conviction was recorded.