Latesha McGrath sentenced for ‘gay dog’ Gladstone house ruckus

A dog was at the centre of a slur and swearing-laden “ruckus” which erupted in a Queensland street, forcing neighbours out of their homes to investigate before calling the cops.

Latesha Ellen Joyce Vera McGrath.

A woman has been sentenced for her role in a “ruckus” which erupted in a Central Queensland street at night.

Latesha Ellen Joyce Vera McGrath, 27, pleaded guilty in Gladstone Magistrates Court to stealing and public nuisance.

The court heard the stealing offence happened on April 23 when McGrath and a co-offender targeted Woolworths Gladstone.

Police prosecutor Sergeant Merrilyn Hoskins said McGrath stood at the store’s entrance “allowing the entry doors to open” so that her co-offender could exit there while carrying a bag with items that were not paid for.

The prosecution did not detail the value of the items stolen.

Sgt Hoskins said the public nuisance offence occurred about 7.40pm on May 13 when McGrath and a friend went to a home at Clinton to retrieve the latter’s dog.

The prosecutor said McGrath and her friend switched off the electricity to the house before trying to open the front door.

Sgt Hoskins said the pair then kicked the door “loudly” and yelled for the occupant to come outside.

“Witnesses heard the two out the front (of the house) asking for the dog to be returned,” Sgt Hoskins said.

“Witnesses (also) heard the house occupant yell words to the effect of ‘give me a f***ing packet of smokes and you can have your f***ing gay dog back’.”

Gladstone Courthouse.

The court heard the occupant came out and got into a loud verbal argument with McGrath and her friend - all of whom were charged by police.

“All of them were yelling names like ‘f***ing sl** and c***, and everything else,” Sgt Hoskins said.

“The behaviour of all the defendants in the matter caused such alarm for at least four sets of neighbours (to come) out of their houses, converge on their front lawns and there was a disturbing scene before they called police.”

Sgt Hoskins said McGrath and her friend left before police arrived.

The court heard McGrath had a two-page criminal history which included previous stealing and public nuisance offences as well as drug offending.

A self-represented McGrath said she had been calm until the house occupant made a derogatory comment about a family member of hers.

“That’s when I started yelling,” McGrath said.

Prior to sentencing on Tuesday, Magistrate Mary Buchanan described what happened at the Clinton house as “a ruckus”.

She fined McGrath $600 and a conviction was recorded.