Bodie Louis Nelsen-Taylor in court for wilful damage

A Gin Gin farm worker got “caught up in a beef” and smashed the rear window of a car with his elbow. Here is how it played out in court.

A Gin Gin citrus farm worker found himself in court after getting involved in an argument and smashing a Subaru’s rear windscreen.

Appearing in Bundaberg Magistrates Court on Monday, Bodie Louis Nelsen-Taylor pleaded guilty to wilful damage following the incident on June 10, 2022.

The court heard the 24-year-old father of one was drinking with some family members when he became involved in a disagreement between two lots of people.

According to police, Nelsen-Taylor walked over to where the victim’s car was parked and started yelling out at her before smashing the black Subaru Impreza’s rear windscreen with his elbow.

The court heard the defendant admitted he had been drinking and “wasn't thinking straight” at the time.

Duty lawyer Rian Dwyer told the court the farm hand had been drinking and got “caught up in a beef”, but had pleaded guilty at the earliest possible opportunity.

Magistrate John McInnes termed the offence “not trivial, but it is certainly not overly serious”.

“It does cause people inconvenience when they have to have their car off the road for repairs,” he said.

Nelsen-Taylor was fined $500, referred to SPER, and ordered to pay his victim $2642.94 for the cost of vehicle repairs.

Convictions were recorded.