Miner schooled by judge: ‘Grow up’
A MINE worker who threatened to bash a security guard’s head in during a drunken encounter outside a North Queensland pub has been told to grow up.
Jordan Paul Smallwood, 30, pleaded guilty in the Ingham Magistrates Court on Thursday, July 14, to a charge of public nuisance outside the Royal Hotel in the early hours of May 14.
Prosecutor Jordan Theed said Ingham Police were called to the pub on Lanner
cost Street at 12.08am after reports a man was banging on the glass windows of the licenced premises and threatening the security guard after he had been refused entry for intoxication.
“As a result (Smallwood) became aggressive, yelling and swearing at the witness for about 30 minutes,” he said.
“He said words to the effect of ‘ he better not run into him when he finishes work or he’ll smash his head in’, which resulted in the witness having to close the locked front entrance.”
Mr Theed said that when police spoke to Smallwood at a later date, the defendant admitted that he was drunk and “carrying on a bit” outside the pub “but couldn’t recall what he said due to his intoxication level”.
Defence lawyer Margaret
Crowther said her client was father to a young child and gainfully employed in the mining industry.
She urged a fine. Magistrate Scott Luxton said the offending was not the most serious example of public nuisance he had seen given no physical violence actually occurred but the threat was taken seriously and the doors to the pub barred.
He said that compounding concerns were that Smallwood had been ticketed for similar offending in the past.
“At 30 years of age one would expect, some of these
YOU’VE GOT GOOD EMPLOYMENT AND YOU ARE PUTTING IT AT RISK IF THIS TYPE OF OFFENDING CONTINUE SCOTT LUXTON
entries have some age to them but over time that you would have matured, particularly in circumstances where you are gainfully employed,” he said.
“You’ve got good employment and you are putting it at risk if this type of offending continues … with the history that you are building up in terms of offending of this sort we will be reaching a point where the court runs out of patience with you.
“You’re doing yourself a disservice.”
Smallwood was convicted and fined $850.