Dylan Robertson sentenced for assaulting Railway Hotel Yeppoon manager

A man got into an altercation with other smokers at a Central Queensland hotel before the manager intervened and things took a nasty turn.

The Railway Hotel Yeppoon.

A man has faced court after he assaulted the manager of a Central Queensland hotel in an ugly incident that was captured on camera.

Dylan Robertson, 37, pleaded guilty in Yeppoon Magistrates Court to common assault and public nuisance in a licensed premises.

The court heard Robertson’s offending happened at the Railway Hotel Yeppoon on March 22.

Police prosecutor Mirren Smith said about 2am, Robertson was sitting in the smokers' section when he got into a verbal altercation with other patrons.

Ms Smith said one of the patrons approached security who then asked Robertson to leave the venue.

“Robertson continued to be verbally abusive towards patrons and gestured aggressively towards a female patron, pointing his finger in (the) proximity of her face,” Ms Smith said.

“Security staff were standing in between (Robertson) and (the woman) at that time.”

Ms Smith said Robertson then moved towards the door of the smoker's section and while doing this, he took a packet of cigarettes from a table.

A patron then tried to grab the packet out of Robertson’s hand as he walked off.

“(Robertson) has then swung his arm aggressively and incidentally hit another female patron in the back of the head with his hand,” Ms Smith said.

Railway Hotel Yeppoon.

Those were the prosecution facts of the public nuisance offence.

In relation to the assault, Ms Smith said the victim was the manager of the hotel.

She said after the incident in the smokers' section, the manager approached Robertson in the pokies room and asked him to leave.

Ms Smith said the manager then tried to usher Robertson towards the exit doors but Robertson stopped prior to those doors.

The prosecutor said Robertson then used his left elbow and forearm to push the manager “around the neck area.”

“(Robertson) took several steps forward whilst continuing to push his forearm and security staff then restrained (him) and forced him out of the venue,” Ms Smith said.

Robertson had a single-entry criminal history.

A self-represented Robertson tendered references and an apology letter to the court.

“Obviously as my apology letter states, I struggled with alcohol at that time,” he told Magistrate Philippa Beckinsale.

“This was an occasion where I let myself down.

“I’m not a violent person at all.

“I don’t actually remember the night which is why I requested (and viewed) the footage.

“And obviously I’m very sorry and embarrassed and ashamed about what happened.”

Magistrate Philippa Beckinsale fined Robertson $1800 and no conviction was recorded.