Tony James Randall faces Mackay court for drink-driving, assaulting Gladstone police

A man was caught driving on the highway with a goon bag on board and glass in hand just weeks after trying to steal a police car and throwing coffee on an officer in hospital.

Tony James Randall faced Mackay Magistrates Court on Tuesday, January 30, 2024.

A 51-year-old man has been called a “disgrace” for drunk-driving a mobility scooter with a goon bag on board just weeks after assaulting a police officer while detained in hospital.

Mackay Magistrates Court on Tuesday heard Tony James Randall informed his lawyer he suffered from “alcoholic dementia” as an explanation for his criminal activity across Mackay and Gladstone over the past nine months.

Prosecutor Ruth Whisker said the Gladstone man was drinking with a woman in North Mackay in the early hours of April 11 last year when he slapped her and pushed her chest.

On July 5, Ipswich Station police officers discovered Randall trying to break into a marked police car.

“When he was questioned … he stated he was an undercover police officer and needed the police vehicle to drive to Mackay,” Ms Whisker said.

She said officers asked Randall to step away but he refused and then led them on a foot pursuit towards the railway station.

After an officer grabbed Randall on the arm, he became aggressive and threw items at the officers who then “forcibly restrained” him into handcuffs.

Ms Whisker said Randall was the following month on the night of August 20 “heavily intoxicated” and detained at Gladstone Hospital.

The court heard Randall was angry at a nurse who tried to stop him leaving his room.

A constable who came to help placed a “single hand” on Randall’s right bicep after which he “started to thrash his arms” before throwing a “cup of hot coffee” on the officer.

Ms Whisker said they both slipped on the coffee and while the officer was on the ground, Randall grabbed their leg and put his teeth on their arm.

Randall was restrained and later taken to the watch-house where he was still too “heavily intoxicated” to participate in an interview with police.

Tony James Randall faced Mackay Magistrates Court on Tuesday, January 30, 2024.

Then on September 30, members of the public chased after Randall’s mobility scooter after he fell off, with a glass of wine in hand and a “goonbag” on board, and then continued to drink-drive on the Dawson Highway in Gladstone while “disrupting traffic”.

Ms Whisker said police officers arrived on scene about 8.40am, with Randall telling them he started drinking about 3 or 4am to prevent the “shakes”, and that he had also smoked three to four cones of marijuana and possibly taken MDMA.

He further told officers he was headed to the doctors but could not remember why.

The court heard Randall’s blood alcohol concentration was 0.332 and his driver’s licence had expired in December 2021.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Service solicitor Robin Cathcart said Randall’s partner died in March last year and his issues were “all related to alcohol.

Ms Cathcart said Randall was homeless, on a disability pension, and could not afford to see a doctor.

Magistrate Damian Dwyer responded that was “rubbish” given Randall could buy “grog” and drugs.

“You’re an absolute disgrace, that’s what you are … and you have been since 2020,” Mr Dwyer told him, adding only Randall could choose to stop his “poor bugger me” path and get “some priorities in (his) life”.

Randall pleaded guilty to committing a public nuisance, obstructing a police officer, assault of a police officer, and unlawful assault.

He was fined $2500, his licence was disqualified for five years, and convictions were recorded for all offences.