Mark John Elder in Rockhampton court for assaulting police

A father-of-two who was tasered after launching himself at police and threatening to beat officers claimed he did not realise they were police and begged a magistrate not to record a conviction against him so he could travel overseas.

Elder pleaded guilty in Rockhampton Magistrates Court on March 18 to assaulting police.

An ex-truckie who threatened to bash police while naked while wielding a wooden axe handle claimed he did not know they were officers when they arrived at his home.

Mark John Elder told police “I’m going to f–king bash you” and when one officer raised a taser at him, the 49-year-old continued to advance on them.

An officer fired their taser and Elder fell to the ground and was arrested for assaulting police, the Rockhampton Magistrates Court heard on March 18.

Police prosecutor Brendon Selic said police were called to a dwelling in Rockhampton on March 3 after reports of a disturbance between Elder and his neighbour.

Elder’s solicitor, Stephanie Nicholas, said that night her client had a few drinks and that there had been an altercation with his neighbour.

“There had been an ongoing dispute,” Ms Nicholas said.

“The neighbour had damaged his gate and they sorted that out and he went back to bed.

“When the police came and woke him up it all happened very quickly.

“He didn’t initially realise it was the police.

“It wasn’t until he was on the ground after being tasered he realised what had happened.”

Elder, who wore an eyepatch in court, suffered a cut to his eye and his shoulder popped out of its socket when he was tasered, the court heard.

Ms Nicholas said her client had worked as a truck driver until about 10 years ago when he had brain cancer, which was followed by a heart attack and a stroke that caused a partial brain injury.

She said her client had an ex-partner and two children and was living in Canada and wanted to return.

She said he was attending counselling to address anger management issues.

Elder pleaded guilty on March 18 to one count of assaulting police.

He was fined $800.

No criminal conviction was recorded.