Ryan Wade Mulvahil fined for Memorial Ave, Maroochydore assault

A Sunshine Coast man who was a victim of a mugging broke open a door of a unit before punching a good samaritan during a drunken onslaught.

A Sunshine Coast man and victim of a mugging broke open a door of a unit before punching a good samaritan during a drunken onslaught.

Ryan Wade Mulvahil was fined a total of $1365 in Maroochydore Magistrates court on Wednesday after he pleaded guilty to one count of assault occasioning bodily harm and another of committing a public nuisance in Maroochydore on March 1, 2022.

The court heard Mulvahil had started bashing on the door of a Memorial Ave unit when concerned residents from surrounding apartments came to investigate the racket.

Police prosecutor Nick Nitschke said witnesses were trying to get the 40-year-old to leave and told him the unit’s residents weren’t home.

“He has then kicked the front door of the unit,” Sergeant Nitschke said.

After managing to open the door witnesses stepped in to prevent Mulvahil from going inside the unit when he started yelling abuse and lashed out.

“He has punched one of the residents without warning in the shoulder,” Sergeant Nitschke said.

“He punched him with such force that it caused the resident (witnesses) to fall backwards.”

The court heard the man suffered grazing and bruising because of the attack.

Sergeant Nitschke said police quickly detained Mulvahil and asked for a significant fine or probation to be imposed.

Ryan Wade Mulvahil was fined a total of $1365 in Maroochydore Magistrates court on Wednesday. Picture: Social media.

Solicitor Jacob Pruden told the court the 40-year-old was a victim of a random assault in September 2021.

Mr Pruden said two men unknown to Mulvahil stole his phone, wallet and sunglasses.

He said Mulvahil was drunk on the day of his offence and thought he was banging on the door of a management office to complain about noise.

“He has gotten that wrong … and felt threatened by being approached by so many people at once and struck out at the nearest person,” Mr Pruden said.

He said Mulvahil was remorseful and had entered an early plea of guilty.

The court heard Mulvahil had engaged with a rehabilitation centre and was seeking help for his alcohol consumption.

Mr Pruden said Mulvahil had no criminal history and asked for a conviction not to be recorded.

He said a significant fine could be imposed.

Magistrate Rod Madsen said Mulvahil was lucky the victim wasn’t seriously hurt.

Mr Madsen considered the circumstances of the offending and did not record a conviction.