Daniel Stark in Gladstone court for pub fight that injured barmaid

A Central Queensland construction industry worker has faced court after his actions during a pub fight led to a barmaid being injured.

Daniel James Stark faced Gladstone Magistrates Court after a drunken incident at the Railway Hotel Motel, Calliope.

A Gladstone region barmaid had a week off work after she was injured in a pub fight involving two groups of men, a court has heard.

Daniel James Stark, 33, pleaded guilty in Gladstone Magistrates Court on Wednesday (August 2) to assault occasioning bodily harm and public nuisance in the vicinity of a licensed premises.

The court heard that Stark’s charges stemmed from a night-time incident at the Railway Hotel Motel at Calliope on November 5 last year.

It was told the assault victim was a 59-year-old female employee who was attempting to get patrons to leave the venue when an intoxicated Stark, involved in a physical fight between his group of workmates and another group of men, “inadvertently” knocked her into a dry bar.

The worker sustained bruising to her ribs and arm.

Police prosecutor Jennifer Leach said the public nuisance charge related to Stark striking a man and grabbing him by the throat and “slamming him” into a guard rail.

The court heard that the man on the receiving end had not lodged a complaint with police and therefore it was just a public nuisance charge.

It was told that Stark, who had a two-page criminal history which included a “dated” assault offence, was a regular at the hotel and as a result of this incident, the venue had banned him.

The prosecution sought a two-year banning order from all licensed premises at Calliope.

Solicitor Cassandra Ditchfield said Stark was a leading hand civil operator and father of three, who “readily accepted” there was nothing appropriate about his actions on the night of the incident.

Ms Ditchfield said Stark had been defending a friend and she submitted a ban from all licensed premises in the Calliope township would be excessive.

Acting Magistrate Athol Kennedy fined Stark $1800 and ordered he pay $1000 compensation to the victim.

Mr Kennedy said he didn’t think it was appropriate to ban Stark from all licensed premises at Calliope, but he did impose a 12-month ban at the Railway Hotel Motel, Calliope.

Convictions were recorded.