Benjamin Iddles finds God after Gympie road rage rock attack on elderly

A man who wants to work in aged care has told a court he has found God since terrorising an elderly couple in a road rage incident at the Gympie Central Shopping Centre.

Benjamin Stephen Iddles attacked the car at Gympie Central Shopping Centre on 6 June, 2024, after a brief run-in with the couple driving their Holden Commodore ute on their way out of the underground carpark about 2pm.

A Curra man says he has found God and turned his life around in the wake of a bizarre road rage incident during which he threw rocks at an older couple’s car.

Benjamin Stephen Iddles attacked the car at Gympie Central Shopping Centre on June 6, 2024, after a brief run-in with the couple driving their Holden Commodore ute out of the underground carpark about 2pm.

Police prosecutor Mel Campbell told the court during the initial interaction between Iddles, 28, and his victims he shouted abuse at them through his open window when they nearly ran into each other at a bottleneck.

These included “you’re a f-----g idiot”, “I’ve got dusters and I’ll dust you up, get out of the car”.

As the couple in the ute continued their way through the congested car park, Iddles jumped out of his own car and started running towards them.

Benjamin Stephen Iddles attacked the car at Gympie Central Shopping Centre on 6 June, 2024, after a brief run-in with the couple driving their Holden Commodore ute on their way out of the underground carpark about 2pm.

Sgt Campbell said he then picked up rocks from a nearby layer of gravel and threw them at the ute.

The couple then doubled back into the car park to record Iddles’ licence plate.

He was sitting in the car when they found it and “became angry”, shouting abuse at them again, running after the Holden as they drove away, and once again picking up rocks and throwing them at the ute.

Several struck the ute causing minor dents.

The attack was caught on CCTV.

In October 2024, police found marijuana growing in a greenhouse on Iddles’ property, the court heard.

Police prosecutor Mel Campbell told the court during the initial interaction between Iddles, 28, and his victims he shouted abuse at them through his open window when they nearly ran into each other at a bottleneck.

Defence lawyer Lisa Taylor told the court Iddles had a “turnaround” moment, finding religion and being baptised in February 2025.

He had been diagnosed with ADHD and PTSD, and was taking medical marijuana to treat them.

Ms Taylor said the drug contributed to his “over-reaction” on the day when the ute nearly “T-boned” his car.

Letters of support were written to the court by a Gympie pastor and his parent in support of Iddles, who had also written a letter of apology to the victims.

The court heard Iddles was working towards securing a job as an aged carer.

He pleaded guilty to wilful damage, public nuisance, and producing a dangerous drug and was sentenced to 80 hours community service with no conviction recorded.