Businessman Jason Michael Torrisi tries to elbow police officers in ugly bar ‘blow-up’ at Yeppoon

A businessman’s work dinner turned nasty when he got into an argument with a patron at a Yeppoon hotel before taking his frustrations out on staff and police officers.

A Central Queensland businessman has faced court after he was involved in an ugly incident at a Yeppoon Hotel.

Jason Michael Torrisi, 40, pleaded guilty in Yeppoon Magistrates Court on November 25 to behaving in a disorderly manner at a licensed premises, failing to leave that venue, and obstructing police.

The court heard that on September 2, about 10pm, Torrisi and another man were having a verbal argument in the front bar of Yeppoon’s Railway Hotel.

Hotel staff had to separate the men.

Police Prosecutor Kevin Ongheen said Torrisi continued to yell obscenities at the other man after staff had separated them.

“He even became abusive towards the staff who were trying to calm him down,” Sergeant Ongheen said.

“He continued to yell out at the other male, and he was challenging that other male to fight.”

Sgt Ongheen said the bar manager approached Torrisi and asked him to leave the premises.

“He asked him numerous times and the defendant refused to do so, and continued to argue with the staff.”

Staff managed to move Torrisi from the front bar towards an exit.

Sgt Ongheen said after Torrisi entered a smoking area at the front of the hotel, he continued to argue with staff and yelled more obscenities to the other man who was still in the front bar.

“The defendant’s behaviour started to escalate towards violence and he became more abusive towards staff.”

At that point, two off-duty police officers who were in the front bar of the hotel, a detective and a senior constable, approached Torrisi and identified themselves as police officers and showed him their ID badges.

One of the police officers asked Torrisi to leave the venue but he refused.

Sgt Ongheen said when Torrisi started to argue with police, he was placed under arrest for being disorderly on licensed premises and failing to leave.

“The officers took hold of the defendant’s arms and tried to walk him outside,” he said.

“The defendant immediately started to struggle with the officers in an attempt to break free, and started calling upon his friends to become involved in the incident.”

Sgt Ongheen said the officers had to apply more force to remove Torrisi from the venue and out onto the footpath.

“The defendant struggled violently and tried to elbow the officers,” he said.

“The officers took the defendant to the ground, and placed his arms behind his back in an effort to restrain him and stop him from striking them.

“Whilst on the ground, the defendant continued to struggle.”

Other police officers arrived at the scene and Torrisi was handcuffed and taken to Yeppoon Police Station.

He was charged and released on bail.

Sgt Ongheen said during the incident at the hotel, the senior constable had his shirt torn beyond repair by Torrisi.

The detective suffered bruising to his right wrist.

Restitution of $80 was sought for damage to the shirt.

The court heard that Torrisi had limited criminal history.

A solicitor said that on the night of the incident, Torrisi was having a work dinner at the hotel with a client.

That client had gone to the bathroom when the situation “blew up”, the solicitor said.

“(The client) hadn’t returned from the bathroom yet and that’s part of the reason he (Torrisi) refused to leave.”

The solicitor said the incident was out of character for Torrisi who was a successful small businessman who employed seven local people on a full-time basis.

The solicitor said Torrisi was not intoxicated at the time of the incident, but he accepted that he was disorderly.

There was no banning order sought in court.

Magistrate Philippa Beckinsale fined Torrisi $1500 and ordered he pay $80 restitution.

No conviction was recorded.