Clynton Grant Reynolds pleads guilty to assault, wilful damage charges

A Brisbane man punched a woman at a South Burnett pub after being triggered by comments about his past, the court heard.

Clynton Grant Reynolds, 53, pleaded guilty to three counts of wilful damage, one count of common assault in public place while adversely affected by an intoxicating substance, and one count of assualt occasioning bodily harm in a public place while adversely affected by an intoxicating substance in Kingaroy District Court on Monday, May 12, 2025.

A Brisbane man who punched a woman in the head at a South Burnett pub was “triggered” by comments partygoers made about a traumatic incident in his past, a court heard.

Clynton Grant Reynolds, 53, pleaded guilty to three counts of wilful damage, one count of common assault in public place while adversely affected by an intoxicating substance, and one count of assault occasioning bodily harm in a public place while adversely affected by an intoxicating substance in Kingaroy District Court on Monday, May 12, 2025.

The court heard Reynolds, who lived in Brisbane and was visiting the South Burnett, was acting “belligerently” during the evening of October 29, 2023, while attending a party at the Grand Hotel Wooroolin.

He got into an altercation with someone after he believed they had made certain comments to him, however it was a case of mistaken identity.

A woman, who was also reportedly a guest at the party, got in between them and tried to separate the two, which resulted in Reynolds punching her in the head multiple times and kicking her in the ribs.

As he was leaving the venue, he assaulted the publican and “smashed” a window in the front door of the pub.

On March 16 of this year, Reynolds got into a verbal altercation with someone in Wondai, and ended up kicking two cars, resulting in two wilful damage charges.

The court heard the defendant had little criminal history, aside from a 2011 manslaughter conviction over the death of his nine-month-old daughter, who died after being left in a parked car.

Crown prosecutor Toby Corsbie said the tragic and sudden death of Reynolds’ baby daughter more than a decade ago was a “significantly adverse life event that has consequences through to this day”, and was likely a contributing factor to his more recent offending.

He told the court the defendant appeared to be “mentally off balance” and that alcohol played a role, and suggested parole as “he still needs some help”.

Reynolds’s lawyer said his client was a “very personable and likeable man” when speaking to him, but there was clearly an issue with alcohol combined with an emotional trigger that turns him into someone “quite frankly horrible”.

“Another way to describe it perhaps is this is a man who is something of a Jekyll and Hyde,” he said.

The court heard that on the night of the altercation at the Grand Hotel, the defendant felt people were making comments about something that had happened in his past.

He reportedly felt provoked and originally denied the assault and damage was his fault but later recognised his wrongdoing, which led to his choice to plead guilty and not go to trial.

Reynolds’ lawyer said his client was “keen” to do something about his troubled emotional state, and had sought counselling in the past.

He had a good work history, working full time as a truck driver and was trained as a cabinet maker.

Judge Carl Heaton sentenced Reynolds to 12 months imprisonment, with a parole release date of Monday, May 13, and to 100 hours of community service to be completed within 12 months.