Robert Matheson sentenced for trespassing, drink driving and police assault

Dozens of concerned residents in a sleepy seaside town called the police when a man was seen driving recklessly along the esplanade. It wasn’t the only dangerous crime he’d committed.

Dozens of concerned residents called police after Matheson was seen driving dangerously along Woodgate esplanade.

A wild drive around Woodgate which ended with a crash into a sewer fence and a series of other bad decisions landed a local man in court.

Robert John Matheson pleaded guilty in Bundaberg Magistrates Court to nine charges including dangerous operation of a vehicle while intoxicated, serious assault against a police officer while armed with a weapon and trespassing.

The court heard Matheson had been drinking in his girlfriend’s home when he felt he was being threatened by another member of the household who was wielding a Stanley knife.

Matheson began yelling before taking his girlfriend into the bedroom.

He then pushed her into a cupboard and headbutted his victim in the face, though the court heard the victim did not receive any injuries.

Police were called to the scene and Matheson blew a 0.195 alcohol reading.

Matheson was also charged with a breach of bail condition.

The court heard Matheson had lied about his address to police and when officers attempted to visit him they were told by the owner he did not live there, and only used the address when he was being dropped off by police.

Instead, Matheson was living his with partner at this time at an address that had not been given to police.

The trespassing charge arose when Matheson returned to the address he had listed on his bail sheet, only to be told he was not welcome at the property.

Police were called to the scene, and Matheson left the property.

He then began making attempts to improve his own mental health and relationship with his partner and spoken to his doctor and received a referral to the mental health unit at the Gin Gin Hospital, the court heard.

A loss of his partners and his own child due to a stillbirth during this time contributed to a further breakdown in their relationship.

On the evening of May 31, 2022 after attending a therapy session, Matheson and his partner drove to Woodgate beach.

Matheson consumed alcohol while at the beach before getting into a fight with his partner and into his car alone.

A concerned Woodgate resident noticed Matheson drinking and contacted the police out of fears he was too drunk to drive.

Over the next hour several more concerned Woodgate residents contacted the police as Matheson was seen driving at speed down the esplanade, and doing burnouts.

This reckless driving caused Matheson to lose control of his vehicle and drive over an embankment and into the fence of a sewage farm.

Matheson reversed his vehicle and drove off, with the front bumper dragging due to damage received from the crash.

Concerned residents noticed the number plate of the car had been ripped off, and called the police.

Another set of residents walking along the esplanade noticed Matheson driving along the foreshore, before pulling up alongside a young woman who was later identified to be his partner.

Witnesses saw Matheson and his partner yelling at each other, before his partner took the keys from this car and flagged down a passing car to leave.

The court heard that his partner had taken the keys from Matheson as she felt he was too drunk to drive.

The police attended the scene, and saw Matheson standing in front of his car swinging a yellow rope with a metal object attached.

Matheson was swinging the weapon into his own car, and threatening police with it.

Police asked Matheson several times to lower the weapon before Matheson took off onto the beach.

Due to the low visibility police choose not to follow Matheson as he still had the weapon.

Matheson later appeared along the esplanade, and police cornered him in a Woodgate residents’ backyard, where they pulled a taser.

The taser was not used, and Matheson allowed himself to be arrested.

He was then subjected to an breath test and blew an alcohol reading of 0.198.

Matheson was taken into custody where he stayed for 140 days prior to his hearing on Wednesday.

His lawyer said Mark Messenger told the court that Matheson had been exposed to domestic violence at the hands of his father while he was a child.

Mr Messenger told the court Matheson was given alcohol at a young age by his father.

Matheson was released on parole with convictions recorded.