Oakey man Matthew Leslie John King appears in Toowoomba Magistrates Court for assaulting police officers

A Toowoomba court has been told an Oakey father lashed out at police who attempted to arrest the man after he went on a four day bender that saw him claim to consume a mammoth amount of alcohol.

Matthew Leslie John King leaving the Toowoomba Courthouse on November 13, 2023, after pleading guilty to assaulting a police officer. No conviction was recorded.

An Oakey man who claimed to have drank more than 100 beers in a four-day period has faced court after his bender ended in a bust up.

Toowoomba Magistrates Court heard when police were called to the Oakey home of Matthew Leslie John King for an alleged domestic violence incident, the man became belligerent and aggressive towards officers.

Police prosecutor Anita Page said officers arrived at the home an hour after a triple-0 call was made and found King passed out on a couch – noting he drank 120 beers over the past four days.

Ms Page said officers told the 36-year-old he would be detained but gave him an opportunity to get dressed first, as he was shirtless.

The court was told King became abusive and yelled at officers, “why the f--k did you come into my home”, before a policewoman attempted to restrain him, however King grabbed onto the other officer’s vest and shoved the policeman.

Matthew Leslie John King leaving the Toowoomba Courthouse on November 13, 2023, after pleading guilty to assaulting a police officer. No conviction was recorded.

Ms Page said the pair of officers managed to get King on the couch, however when he continued to kick free from them, an officer presented their taser, which gave him an opportunity to break free and run from the property.

He was quickly detained after a short foot pursuit.

The court was told King had a limited criminal history, however had been sentenced for common assault (domestic violence) in NSW, where he was released on a two year court order.

Solicitor Michael Corbin said the mill operator apologised to the officers at the watch-house following his arrest, and he was “very remorseful”.

Mr Corbin said King was born in Tweed Heads, however grew up in Toowoomba and moved out of home at the age of 32.

He also tendered a three-page letter to the court on behalf of King’s mother, however magistrate Kay Philipson questioned why King did not speak for himself.

“He’s 36 not 16,” she said.

Ms Philipson urged King to continue to seek support for his “clear alcohol issue,” and noted if that was how he behaved when drinking, he should consider not drinking at all in the future.

At the Toowoomba Magistrate Court on Monday, November 13, King pleaded guilty to assaulting and obstructing police and was fined $750.

No conviction was recorded.

Originally published as Oakey man Matthew Leslie John King appears in Toowoomba Magistrates Court for assaulting police officers