Beers fuelled pub rampage

A FATHER who went on a wild rampage, smashing 21 windows of a historic pub, had drunk 27 cans of VB the night before he “snapped” over not being given access to his son.

Louis Gabriel O’Connor, 37, on Tuesday pleaded guilty to unlawfully destroying property and unlawfully using a dangerous article in a public place in relation to the rampage at Queenstown’s Empire Hotel in August.

Burnie Magistrate’s Court heard O’Connor had been drinking heavily the night before the morning he went to the hotel, where the mother of his 10-year-old boy was duty manager.

He was armed with a metal machete and fire crackers.

His ex-partner was not working that day. But other staff there at the time told police they were fearful of their safety when the commercial-grade windows were repeatedly smashed with the machete.

O’Connor then threw firecrackers into the hotel and also let them off outside.

The court heard O’Connor had told his ex she “had not seen anything yet” before he walked to the pub and vented his anger.

O’Connor’s lawyer said he had not seen his son for 18 months despite moving back to his hometown from Bendigo so he could be in his life. When his rampage was over, O’Connor went to the local police station and handed himself and his weapon in.

He told police he had “snapped” and could feel his mental health declining in the days before the rampage.

O’Connor told police he had gone to the pub to smash the windows of his ex-partner’s car but had not planned to hurt her or anyone else in the hotel where she worked.

O’Connor blew 0.114 at the police station despite not drinking for 10 hours prior.

The former mine worker had been abusing alcohol in the lead-up to the incident and had not been taking his medication for anxiety and bipolar disorder.

A compensation order was made for the value of the windows – $7612.

Magistrate Tamara Jago will sentence O’Connor on Friday.