Peter Wise pleads guilty to assaulting two boys at Peregian Beach over sandcastle incident

A Queensland miner attacked two boys and threw one of their bikes into the surf after claiming he was provoked when they kicked over his son’s sandcastle.

Peter Kenneth Wise faced Maroochydore Magistrates Court on Tuesday. Picture: Patrick Woods

A Sunshine Coast father has avoided being sent to jail after he bashed two young boys who kicked over his son’s sandcastle.

Witnesses looked on in horror when they saw Peter Kenneth Wise, 43, assaulting a 12-year-old boy and his 13-year-old friend who antagonised the father at Peregian Beach on June 28.

Maroochydore Magistrates Court was told on Tuesday about the day of mayhem at the popular tourist spot after the Peregian Springs man pleaded guilty to two counts of assault and wilful damage.

Police prosecutor Val Crossley said Wise was at the beach with his four-year-old son building a sandcastle when witnesses reported the middle aged man arguing with the two young boys.

Senior Sergeant Crossley said bystanders saw Wise tell the boys to “piss off” and leave them alone when they started to antagonise and be “cheeky” to him.

Wise pleaded guilty to three charges. Picture: Patrick Woods

One of the boys then kicked the sandcastle, which prompted a verbal exchange between the man and the juveniles.

The court was told Wise chased down the 13-year-old boy and tackled him to the ground where he delivered several blows to the child’s head and body while the boy was defenceless on the ground.

The 43-year-old then directed his fury at the other 12-year-old boy and picked up one of their e-bikes and threw it into the ocean.

Senior Sergeant Crossley said the second boy ran into the ocean to retrieve the bike however was also assaulted by Wise who “repeatedly” punched him.

The boys were taken to hospital with the 13-year-old suffering two black eyes along with bleeding from his head and ear, along with a suspected concussion, the court was told.

The police prosecutor said Wise should pay $2500 for the bike he damaged by throwing it into the sea.

Wise after his sentence.

The 13-year-old boy’s mothers wrote a victim impact statement to the court, which detailed the trauma her son suffered which included “horrible flashbacks”.

“[The boy] believes if he wasn’t wearing his bike helmet, that the man would have killed him,” Senior Sergeant Crossley quoted from the impact statement.

Defence barrister David Crews said Wise was only protecting his son and stated there was an element of provocation by the children.

Mr Crews said the Peregian Springs man missed the birth of his child due to being in a Covid lockdown in South Australia and was “quite protective” of his son.

The barrister said the miner and tradesman underwent anger management courses and had no criminal history.

Magistrate Haydn Stjernqvist said the “big ticket” of the sentence was the age disparity between him and the two children he assaulted, especially in front of his own son.

Wise was sentenced to eight months jail, suspended immediately for 12 months. He was also fined $500 and ordered to pay compensation.