Wedding punch-on

A 28-YEAR-OLD man was so drunk at a Wyreema wedding that he had no memory of punching another guest and then causing $3700 damage to the police car he was placed into.

But Owen Keith Somerton accepted the accounts of the events from his wife and other witnesses, Toowoomba Magistrates Court heard.

Somerton was normally a placid man and “not a big drinker”, his solicitor Paul Emmerson told the court.

However, his behaviour that night had become so concerning, his wife had called a Uber to take them home.

Before the Uber could drive off, he got out of the car and tried to return to the venue to continue an argument with another man but was tackled to the ground by two friends and he hit his head.

It was while he was trying to free himself from the other two men that he punched the complainant man, Mr Emmerson said.

Police called to the incident arrived about 11.56pm to find Somerton lying on the roadway in a dishevelled state, police prosecutor Bettina Trenear told the court.

Initially handcuffed and placed into the back seat of the police vehicle, Somerton laid on his back and kicked out a number of times, bending the door frame, she said.

He also verbally abused police and called them derogatory terms to the point a police “pod” had to be called to take him away, Ms Trenear said.

The victim sustained facial bruising and swelling, she said.

Somerton pleaded guilty to assault occasioning bodily harm in a public place while adversely affected by liquor, committing a public nuisance within licensed premises, obstructing police in a public place while adversely affected, and wilful damage of police property.

Mr Emmerson said his client had no memory of events after about 9pm that evening, but he was very remorseful and had apologised to the bride and groom and everyone else affected.

“He had too much to drink,” he submitted.

Mr Emmerson said Somerton required a Blue Card for his job and asked that no conviction be recorded.

Magistrate Damian Carroll noted Somerton had no previous convictions.

“I accept this is out of character for you, but you did a lot of damage on the way,” he told him.

Mr Carroll fined Somerton $1250, ordered he do 40 hours community service and pay compensation of $3694 for damage to the police car. Convictions were not recorded.