Drunken bar rampage

Man fined $1800 after guilty plea to nine charges

A patron abused bar staff and assaulted a security officer before turning on police in a drunken rampage at a South Townsville bar and bistro earlier this month.

The Magistrates Court heard that Tom Moki Kudub then kicked the doors of a police van so hard that he caused pain to the wrists of two police officers trying to get him inside.

Kudub, 45, pleaded guilty to nine charges that included two counts of serious assault, obstructing police, and failing to supply breath or blood specimens.

Prosecutor Mark Fenlon said Kudub had been drinking for some time at the Bayview Bar and Bistro, on May 5, when he became abusive to staff after they refused to serve him any more alcohol.

He said a very intoxicated Kudub abused the staff, calling them ‘racist’, and refused to leave the premises.

The court heard he was finally taken outside where he called a security officer a ‘ racist dog’, then assaulted him.

“Police arrived and he was arrested at 11.10pm and he refused to duck his head as three officers tried to put him into the police van,” Mr Fenlon said.

He said as police attempted to close the door, Kudub kicked it so hard multiple times that it caused pain to the wrists of two officers.

He spent the night at the watch-house and after being released next morning, police found him in the driver’s seat of a Nissan Patrol at 8.20am.

Mr Fenlon said police believed he was drunk and asked him to supply a sample of breath, which he refused.

He said police later took him to the Townsville University Hospital where he refused to get out of the police vehicle and supply a blood sample.

Duty lawyer Helen Armitage told the court Kudub had not consumed alcohol for two years.

She said he had been persuaded to go to the bar by work colleagues for a function.

She said he was a family man with two jobs, one of which he had now lost because he would no longer have a driver’s licence.

She said his actions were completely out of character and Acting Magistrate Scott Luxton agreed with that statement.

But he said he had to impose a significant fine to reflect the seriousness of Kudub’s behaviour.

Mr Luxton fined him $1800 and suspended his driver’s licence for 12 months.