Imogen Skye Steer in court for wilful damage of pokie

A Hervey Bay woman found herself in court over a drunken incident involving a poker machine. Here is what the court was told.

A former Hervey Bay pub worker who attacked a poker machine at the Beach House Hotel in Scarness was fined $250 and ordered to pay almost $1500 in restitution on Thursday.

Imogen Skye Steer, 18, pleaded guilty to wilful damage of gaming equipment in Hervey Bay Magistrates Court.

The court heard on June 4, 2022, Steer was at the Beach House Hotel and had been drinking.

Police prosecutor Louese McConnell said at 12:37am Steer walked between a row of gaming machines at the pub and kicked over a number of chairs at the machines.

She then struck the screen of a gaming machine with an open hand and smashed it, Ms McConnell said.

Ms McConnell said the incident was reported to police and Steer was identified in the CCTV footage as she was previously employed at the hotel.

Imogen Skye Steer, 18, in Hervey Bay Magistrates Court.

On June 10, 2022, Steer told police she was at the pub that night.

Defence lawyer Leon Casey said his client was “very remorseful” and went to the Beach House Hotel that day to apologise.

The court heard Steer was working part-time as a cleaner and studying.

Magistrate Trinity McGarvie acknowledged Steer had apologised to the Beach House Hotel, and said while her offending was “troubling”, it was not an act of physical violence towards another person.

Steer was ordered to pay restitution for the amount of $1458.03 to the Beach House Hotel.

For wilful damage of gaming equipment she was fined $250.

No conviction was recorded.