Hervey Bay’s Daniel Paul Tonkin pleaded guilty to common assault

A Hervey Bay identity known as ‘Aqua Dan’ on social media has admitted to urinating on a car and then punching the vehicle’s owner.

Daniel Paul Tonkin, 34, pleaded guilty to common assault, contravening a requirement of police and urinating in a public place when he faced Hervey Bay Magistrates Court on Thursday.

A Hervey Bay identity known as Aqua Dan to his social media followers has found himself in hot water in court.

Daniel Paul Tonkin, 34, pleaded guilty to common assault, contravening a requirement of police and urinating in a public place when he faced the Hervey Bay Magistrates Court on Thursday.

The court heard the victim in the matter had parked his car in Maxwell St, Point Vernon.

About 7pm on May 14, 2024, Tonkin approached the victim’s vehicle and urinated on it, the court heard.

The victim walked up to Tonkin, interrupting him urinating on the car.

Tonkin said “are you f–king right?” and then punched the victim in the chest and right arm four to five times, the court heard told.

The victim then walked towards his home and Tonkin followed, telling him “I’ve got a big knife”.

The other man went inside the home and called police.

Tonkin had later contravened a police direction to provide identifying particulars when he refused to provide them, the court was told.

The court heard Tonkin’s mum died when he was young and he had a troubled childhood.

During his young adulthood he had taught himself to do videography and he now did freelance work in Hervey Bay, the court heard.

Known as Aqua Dan to many in the Hervey Bay community, he was known for taking stunning photos of the region’s dive sites and marine life and sharing those photos and videos with his hundreds of followers.

He also operated a stall at Urangan Pier Market, selling underwater photography.

The offending had been a wakeup call for him and he was hoping to see a psychologist in the not-too-distant future to address his post-traumatic stress disorder, the court heard.

He was remorseful and apologetic for his offending, the court was told.

Magistrate Trinity McGarvie said it had been an act of violence committed against a member of the public who was “just upset that you were urinating on his car”.

Ms McGarvie said Tonkin had been drunk and there had been no provocation on the part of the victim.

Tonkin was fined $650 and placed on probation for six months.

Convictions were recorded.

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