Samuel Franklin pleads guilty to public nuisance at Blackflag Brewing Coolum Beach

A Sunshine Coast punter who was practising martial arts at a popular brewery’s music event bit a security guard after he was given a direction to leave by security.

Samuel Thomas Franklin and his lawyer Belinda Robinson leaving Maroochydore Magistrates Court on Wednesday. Picture: Sam Turner

A Marcoola government contractor has not been charged with assault after he bit a security guard at a popular brewery’s music event on the Sunshine Coast.

Samuel Thomas Franklin, 24, instead pleaded guilty to committing a public nuisance within a licensed premises after the boozy incident at Blackflag Brewing’s Coolum Beach compound on July 3.

Police prosecutor Bec Lambert told Maroochydore Magistrates Court on Wednesday the Marcoola man was at the venue’s Big Weekend event where he was seen acting in a disorderly manner near the stage area.

Senior Constable Lambert said the 24-year-old was practising his jiu-jitsu moves on friends and associates at the premises, which prompted security to ask him to stop.

The court heard Franklin continued to interfere with other patrons and was asked to leave, however, he refused. He was physically escorted out.

The police prosecutor said the Marcoola man then started a fight with the guards by resisting their efforts, and even bit one of them on their hands.

Franklin outside court.

Senior Constable Lambert said Franklin was restrained on the ground until police arrived, where he was observed to be grossly intoxicated.

Franklin was taken to the watch-house and charged with public nuisance however, no assault complaint was made.

The court heard Franklin had been playing golf at 10am and drank all day in the lead-up to his melee with security.

He only partially recalled the incident.

Defence lawyer Belinda Robinson tendered character references to the court and said the government contractor was remorseful for his conduct.

Acting magistrate Raelene Ellis labelled Franklin’s “fighting” and “biting” conduct as “repulsive behaviours”, as it involved the possibility of transmitting disease.

Ms Ellis said if he was charged with serious assault by biting, he would have been “looking down the barrel” of a possible term of imprisonment.

Franklin was fined $750 with no conviction recorded.