Current and former Sunshine Coast business owners in court
From a former software company director to a seafood boss, these are business owners of the past and present who have fallen foul of the law.
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From cases of fraud to violent attacks and supplying drugs, business owners across the Sunshine Coast have had their court appearances come to light.
These are the current and former business owners, from a gym owner to a seafood boss and former removalist, who have faced Sunshine Coast courts in the past 12 months.
See the list:
Gary Charles Steele
Coolum man Gary Charles Steele pleaded guilty in Noosa Magistrates Court on February 6 to one count of unlawful use of a motor vehicle and two counts of driving without a licence.
Magistrate Chris Callaghan told the court Steele had spotted the van to have been parked unused in a street at Marcoola and on July 7, 2023 he arranged to tow the vehicle away.
The court heard Steele modified the ignition to be able to start the car with a screwdriver, causing $546 in damage to the van.
Mr Callaghan said he was recognised by businesses in the area due to Steele’s time working as a furniture removalist business owner.
Defence lawyer Rose Killip said her client had been willing to pay for the repairs when he was first contacted and tried to reimburse the owner before police became involved.
Mr Callaghan sentenced him to 12 months imprisonment to be immediately released on parole and extended his suspended sentence period by three months.
He was also ordered to pay $546 in restitution, was given a $400 fine for driving without a licence and was disqualified from driving for two months.
Convictions were recorded.
Craig William Hinde
Craig William Hinde pleaded guilty in the Maroochydore District Court on March 8 to two counts of sexual assault and one of common assault.
Crown prosecutor Madalyn Olivero told the court Hinde and the woman had met each other three times prior and the woman had visited his home to return something on July 3, 2022.
The court was told Hinde led her to his “isolated shed” and then grabbed her breast, telling her “this is what you want”.
Ms Olivero told the court he had grabbed the woman’s throat, covered her mouth and then shoved his fingers inside her mouth.
He attempted to kiss her, instead licking her face before asking for oral sex, the court was told.
Hinde then forced her onto her knees, unbuckled his pants and pressed his penis against her face before she ultimately escaped, the court heard.
Defence barrister Mark Dixon told the court his client had received mental health diagnosis and had stopped taking medication at the time of the offence.
The court heard Hinde ran a rescue farm and began feeling financial stress after racking up $80,000 in tax debt.
He previously worked in shipping, at one point running his own furniture and boat-making business and had since retired.
Judge Cash sentenced him to 18 months’ in jail, to be suspended after six months for a period of 18 months.
Nicholas John McQuoid
Nicholas John McQuoid appeared on video link in February at Maroochydore Magistrates Court where he pleaded guilty to seriously assaulting four police officers across two separate incidents.
McQuoid was convicted of 11 charges including driving under the influence, failure to appear, obstructing and seriously assaulting police on two separate occasions. The first incident in September 2023 was followed by a second, more serious, incident in October.
Police prosecutor Stu Lydford told the court the father-of-two committed the most serious offences while on bail on October 13, 2023, where he obstructed police while adversely affected, leaving a number of officers injured.
Lawyer for McQuoid, Zac Reinke, told the court the father-of-two struggled with meth addiction and asked the court for a sentence that would allow McQuoid to continue running his business.
McQuoid was sentenced to 15 months behind bars and was released on parole on March 18, 2024.
He was also ordered to complete 240 hours of community service.
Matthew James Long
Matthew James Long was sentenced on March 12 in Brisbane’s Supreme Court after pleading guilty to drug trafficking between March 2020 and March 2021.
Long poured his life savings into a Noosa boxing gym at the end of 2019 but the ensuing Covid pandemic smashed the business causing him financing and mental health strains.
Crown prosecutor James Bishop said Long’s offending was above street level trafficking however, the amounts usually supplied ranged from 1 to 3 grams on 39 occasions.
There were also 22 attempted supplies or acts preparatory to supply including acting as a middleman in an attempt to supply two ounces of cocaine but this did not eventuate.
Barrister Angus Edwards, KC, said his client had used his almost three years on bail wisely – engaging in counselling, rehabilitation and starting his own building company in northern NSW where he was now based.
Justice Lincoln Crowley said Long involved his Noosa gym as part of his trafficking, often using it as a supply and drop-off point.
Long was sentenced to a total of five years’ jail suspended after 12 months.
Angela Skye Feige
Angela Skye Feige was intercepted by police along the Bruce Hwy at Palmview late on March 13 when officers discovered she was driving with alcohol in her system.
In Caloundra Magistrates Court on March 28, police prosecutor Michael Quirk said the Waterford West woman showed signs of drunkenness and returned a positive reading roadside, ultimately revealing she had a blood-alcohol content of 0.164 per cent.
Mr Quirk said police saw Feige was driving with her child in her vehicle.
Defence lawyer Laura Turner told the court Feige ran her own real estate agency where she was the only employee.
Ms Turner said she was not in a great place but was seeking assistance. She was also incredibly remorseful and embarrassed for her offence.
Feige pleaded guilty to driving under the influence and was fined $750.
She was also disqualified from driving for seven months with a conviction recorded.
Joshua William Thorpe
Joshua William Thorpe appeared in Maroochydore Magistrates Court via video link on April 11 and pleaded guilty to nine counts of fraud and one count of stealing.
The court heard he was the director of a computer software company and defrauded nine small businesses on the Sunshine Coast between September 2022 and March 2023.
Police prosecutor Jeanette Grigoris said Thorpe defrauded the businesses of $10,000 in total.
Defence lawyer Emily Dring told the court Thorpe was in debt and was the director of Creative Point of Sales at the time of the offending.
Ms Dring said the business became less profitable, and Thorpe began struggling with the repayments.
Towards the end of 2020, the supplier providing for Thorpe’s company closed their trading account and he began “selling products without there being any products to sell” whilst looking for a new supplier, Ms Dring told the court.
Thorpe was sentenced to 18 months’ imprisonment with a parole release date of August 1, 2024.
His 70 days in pre-sentence custody were declared as time served and convictions were recorded.
Kerian Iain Crust
Police swooped on Kerian Iain Crust’s home as part of a larger drug operation on May 19, 2022 where an analysis of his phone revealed he was moonlighting as a suburban anabolic steroid supplier.
Maroochydore District Court heard on April 2, Crust supplied types of steroids 10 times to customers, discussed or made offers three times and on one occasion supplied $500 worth of cocaine between February 2021 and May 2022.
Crown prosecutor Rhys Byrne said the Caloundra man was supplying to people he knew from his gym in deals where he would sell quantities of up to $100 of steroids or otherwise vials.
Defence barrister Damien Gates said Crust effectively supplied only four friends from the gym and didn’t make an income or run a business, where his customers essentially contacted him.
He pleaded guilty to 14 counts of supplying dangerous drugs and was sentenced to 18 months’ jail, suspended immediately for 18 months.
Benjamin Craig Price
Sunshine Coast insurance broker Benjamin Craig Price pleaded guilty in Maroochydore Magistrates Court on April 8 to one count of possessing cocaine and one of contravening a police direction
Price is the managing director of Bridgewise Insurance Brokers and Luxury Home Insurance.
Police prosecutor James Allen told the court police conducting patrols on Main St, Airlie Beach on March 15 randomly stopped two males, one being Price, about 11.40pm for a scan.
Mr Allen said police found two small clip seal bags, each containing 0.03g of cocaine.
He was then charged of contravening a police direction on March 23 when he did not attend a police station to hand over his identifying particulars within seven days.
Defence lawyer Louise White told the court Price had been a high-level athlete as a cyclist since the age of five and had his own company since 2019.
She said her client had misplaced his notice which directed him to attend the station.
Magistrate Chris Callaghan placed him on a good behaviour bond of $200 and did not record a conviction for the charge of possessing cocaine.
Price was fined $150 for the contravention of a police requirement and a conviction was recorded.
Luke Fellingham
Luke Fellingham pleaded guilty in the Maroochydore District Court on May 9 to one count of assault occasioning bodily harm, one of common assault, one of wilful damage and one of attempted strangulation.
Crown prosecutor Alex Stark told the court Fellingham had grabbed a woman’s throat when he was in her home, bending her over the railing of her terrace and only stopping when the woman’s son saw the incident.
Mr Stark said Fellingham then began to punch her inside the house and chased her when she ran outside.
After he caught the woman, he headbutted her, dragged her by the hair, smashed her face into the pavement and kneed her in the face, Mr Stark said.
Fellingham then pushed her fingers into her mouth to the extent the woman feared he would rip her jaw open, Mr Stark told the court.
“He bit her ear so forcefully she thought he was going to bite it off,” he said.
Defence barrister Mark Dixon said his client’s violent behaviour was linked to alcohol and drugs, often self-medicating after diagnosing himself with ADD.
Fellingham previously ran a painting and decorating business and decided to return to the industry after his release from prison.
Judge Glen Cash sentenced him to three and a half years’ imprisonment with parole eligibility on July 23 and declared his 352 days in pre-sentence custody as time served.
Trent Nathan Laing
Sunshine Coast hotel boss Trent Nathan Laing appeared in Maroochydore Magistrates Court on July 2 and pleaded guilty to seven charges including producing and possessing drugs.
Police prosecutor Stu Lydford told the court Laing had been found in possession of 300g of cannabis, magic mushrooms and LSD tabs as well as a hydroponic set up to grow cannabis plants on March 12.
Defence barrister Peter Slipper told the court the production of the drug had no commercial intent behind it.
The court heard Laing owns currently two hotels including the Royal George Hotel in Nambour as well as a number of bottle shops.
He told the court one of Laing’s former staff members had stolen a substantial amount of money from him, causing financial issues, and Laing resorted to cannabis as a form of medication.
Magistrate Haydn Stjernqvist fined him $1200 and a conviction was recorded.
Blayze James Noble
Blayze James Noble appeared in Maroochydore District Court on July 8 and was sentenced for 15 offences including four counts of entering a dwelling and one of robbery whilst armed, in company and using violence after previously entering guilty pleas.
Judge Michael Byrne told the court the offences occurred between September 2022 and March 2023, including two robberies against a man known to him.
On both occasions Noble had been with an unknown co-offender, and used violence during the second robbery.
Judge Byrne said after Noble’s companion had threatened to bash the victim, Noble punched him in the right eye then stole various items including cigarettes, cash, an Xbox and a security camera.
Defence barrister David Crews said his client had suffered a brain injury when he was 20 years old, was diagnosed with schizophrenia in 2009 and had been off his medication during the period offences.
The court heard Noble had completed a spray painting apprenticeship and then a diploma before going on to run his own business for six years.
Judge Byrne sentenced him to four years and one month of imprisonment with immediate parole eligibility and declared 420 days of pre-sentence custody as time served.
Steve Francis Austin
Steve Francis Austin appeared in Maroochydore District Court on July 11 after he previously pleaded guilty to several charges including supplying drugs.
Crown prosecutor Alex Stark told the court the offending occurred in 2021 when Austin sold cannabis from his property for three months.
The court heard police searched multiple of his properties after officers had intercepted messages from customers who bought cannabis from Austin.
Judge Michael Byrne told the court he had sold quantities between 448g up to two pounds, or about one kilogram.
Defence barrister Sam Di Carlo said Austin began selling cannabis to pay off a drug debt when his business was struggling and was therefore not intended for personal profit.
He told the court Austin had built up his own business to support his family and he and his wife heavily rely on each other to take care of their children.
He was sentenced to three years’ imprisonment with immediate release on parole.
Paul Roy Shepherd
Sunshine Coast seafood boss Paul Roy Shepherd appeared via video link at Maroochydore Magistrates Court on July 22 and pleaded guilty to six offences including two counts of common assault and one of threatening violence.
Police prosecutor Michael Quirk told the court police had visited Shepherd’s home on July 19 after he approached his neighbours and attempted to intimidate them by threatening to burn down their house.
He was also charged with assault after he shoved two men and knocked them back when he confronted them about the party.
Mr Quirk told the court Shepherd was intoxicated at the time and he had “reacted to four years of problems” with his neighbours.
Defence Michael Robinson said Shepherd owned his own business Jetts Seafoods, working in distribution and selling and had recently encountered strugglers with his operations.
Magistrate Rod Madsen sentenced him to 12 months’ probation and convictions were recorded.
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Originally published as Current and former Sunshine Coast business owners in court
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