’I was going through a lot of s—’

Gympie man given a year to complete 80 hours of community service for his part in a drunken fight, didn’t do a single hour

Jade Bird faced Gympie Magistrates Court on July 2 after not completing any of his community service hours.

A MAN who didn't complete a single hour of his community service over 12 months gave no excuse for his behaviour when he faced Gympie Magistrates Court yesterday morning.

On November 12, 2018, Jade Leslie Bird, 35, was sentenced to 80 hours of community service to be completed within a year, as punishment for being involved in a drunken fight.

Magistrate Chris Callaghan said by the end of the 12 months, Bird had not attended a single hour of the community service and asked him what his excuse was.

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"I was going through a lot of s---," Bird said, but wouldn't elaborate for Mr Callaghan.

The court heard that the man does not work and is living on a disability pension of $900 a fortnight.

He asked Mr Callaghan for another chance to do the community service, but the Magistrate said because he had not attended previously and offered no explanation as to why, he had "no hope" the man would do it this time.

Mr Callaghan said he had no choice but to re-sentence Bird for his original offence, the drunken fight, and fined him $400, with a conviction recorded.

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Cody Lee Broad, 30, also faced the court for not completing a sentence of 50 hours of community service, handed to him in 2018.

Broad was given community service for driving with a relevant drug in his saliva, but Mr Callaghan said the man had only attended eight hours out of the 50.

Broad said he had a disagreement with a person he was working with, and decided not to go back to avoid starting a fight.

Mr Callaghan said the man should have organised to change his community service rather than not show up.

He was fined $200 for breaching the community service order, and was re-sentenced for the drug driving offence, and fined $150.

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