Marlborough mine worker Detroit Breaker Gurnick was denied ‘seconds’ so he threw a plate in a supervisor’s face and a flurry of punches

A Central Queensland mine worker has faced court after he viciously attacked a supervisor during meal time at a workers’ accommodation campsite. Here’s what happened and how he was punished for the serious assault.

A Central Queensland mine worker has faced court for viciously attacking a supervisor more than 32 years his senior, during meal time at a workers’ accommodation campsite.

Detroit Breaker Gurnick, 28, pleaded guilty in Yeppoon Magistrates Court on March 3 to serious assault of a person over 60.

The assault happened on November 22 last year at Marlborough, in a meal room at a campsite where Gurnick was based with other mine workers.

The court heard that Gurnick approached the buffet area for a second helping, and put food on his plate when the victim (a supervisor), who was inside the kitchen, told Gurnick that he had already had enough to eat and shouldn’t have any more.

Gurnick then questioned the supervisor before taking more food, and he sat down to eat it.

The supervisor approached Gurnick and told him he was not allowed to have any more food, and took the plate from him.

Gurnick then confronted the supervisor in the kitchen and punched him with a closed fist to the back.

Gurnick followed that up by punching the supervisor twice in the face, before picking up an empty plate from the kitchen and throwing it at the supervisor’s face, causing a facial laceration.

Police Prosecutor Clancy Fox said Gurnick was removed from the kitchen by witnesses and he left the campsite in a vehicle before police arrived.

Mr Fox said Gurnick later told police he was extremely remorseful for what he had done and that he should not have acted in that way.

Gurnick told police he was angry about not being allowed any more food and he “lashed out”.

“He was aware that he needed to get help for his anger management issues,” Mr Fox said.

Mr Fox added that Gurnick had accepted a referral from police to get professional help for those issues.

The court heard that Gurnick had other violence-related offences on his criminal history including an assault occasioning bodily harm conviction.

It was not mentioned in court, but Gurnick faced Yeppoon Magistrates Court in November, 2020, where it was revealed he had been caught drink-driving twice in the space of a month.

It was also revealed during those court proceedings that Gurnick had racked up $9000 in SPER fines.

In court on March 3, 2022, solicitor Ashley Reynolds tendered references for Gurnick and also documents relating to his anger management rehabilitation efforts.

Ms Reynolds said Gurnick was in Australia on a Visa from New Zealand, and despite having an intellectual disability and being dyslexic, he had been a hard worker throughout his life.

“He has worked for some time as an operator at the mines and also a concreter,” Ms Reynolds said.

Ms Reynolds said Gurnick had been honest with her about his struggles with anger management “usually in connection with alcohol”.

In relation to the incident which led to the serious assault, Ms Reynolds said Gurnick instructed that he had gone to get “seconds” as he’d hardly eaten all day.

“He thought the supervisor was being sarcastic, so he did go and get the second plate,” Ms Reynolds said.

“However the supervisor then began yelling and swearing at him.

“He was shocked by that reaction - he lost his temper. He felt that he was being targeted for no reason. And it was a spontaneous and not premeditated assault.”

Ms Reynolds said after the assault, Gurnick had returned to his accommodation on the campsite.

She said Gurnick had lost his job because of the incident but had since found other employment.

Before handing down penalty, Magistrate Cameron Press noted that this was the third time that Gurnick had come before a court, being convicted for a “violence type offence”.

In relation to this offence, Mr Press said: “It is unacceptable behaviour, Sir. And it really was an assault that was totally without justification.”

For the serious assault offence, Mr Press sentenced Gurnick to four months’ jail, wholly suspended for an operational period of 12 months.

Gurnick also pleaded guilty to an unrelated charge from a separate incident at the Capricorn Coast, and for that he was placed on probation for 12 months with conditions.

Convictions were recorded.