Stanley Mason jailed after Gladstone Mieplace Niteclub attack

A Central Queensland thug is behind bars after his second violent nightclub bashing was compounded by a series of other offences including two police car chases.

Stanley Jye Trent Mason.

A Gladstone thug has run out of chances and is behind bars after his second violent nightclub bashing was among a string of recent offences.

Stanley Jye Trent Mason, 22, pleaded guilty in Gladstone Magistrates Court on September 27 to 17 charges, including evading police twice, dangerous operation of a motor vehicle, affray, assault occasioning bodily harm, obstructing police, and possessing property suspected used in a drug offence.

The court heard that the assault occasioning bodily harm offence related to Mason attacking a man outside Gladstone’s Mieplace Niteclub, about 2.25am on May 14 this year.

Police prosecutor Sergeant Kevin Ongheen said the incident was “high level violence” where Mason punched a man three times before security intervened.

“(Mason) continued to throw punches at people,” Sgt Ongheen said.

The prosecutor said Mason also threw his bum bag, hitting the victim in the head and causing a cut which sent him to hospital where he got three stitches.

Sgt Ongheen said one of the victim’s eyes “swelled shut” over the following days and he required further medical treatment for it.

Mieplace Niteclub in Gladstone Central.

Magistrate Mary Buchanan described the assault occasioning bodily harm offence as “a carbon copy” of a previous nightclub assault which Mason had recently been convicted of in the Gladstone court.

On that occasion, Mason had punched his victim in the face, breaking his nose.

The court heard that the first dangerous operation of motor vehicle offence involved Mason driving with no lights on at night on Roseberry Street, Gladstone Central, before evading police at speed.

“It was deemed unsafe to pursue (Mason) - police in accordance with the laws, abandoned the attempt to intercept (him),” Sgt Ongheen said.

The second evade offence also occurred at night, where Mason drove at speed while “beeping at vehicles” in front of him and “trying to drive between cars that were side-by-side.”

Sgt Ongheen said police activated lights and sirens but Mason accelerated away from them and the pursuit was abandoned.

Solicitor Bianca Wieland said Mason, born in Ipswich and educated to Year 10, was currently unemployed, but had previously worked in hospitality.

Ms Wieland said Mason was a cannabis user who “only had” two prior entries on his criminal history.

Prior to sentencing, Magistrate Buchanan made reference to Mason’s “carbon copy” nightclub assault offending.

“So I have to take that into account... given that imprisonment was in range back then, even as a youthful offender when he was 20,” Ms Buchanan said.

Ms Buchanan sentenced Mason to six months’ jail and fixed his parole release date at November 27, 2023.

She also disqualified him from driving for two years and six months.

Convictions were recorded.