Saxophonist Fergus O’Hara pleads guilty to attacking elderly women at Cotton Tree Park

A sax player has poured grass clippings over two women and broken a woman’s nose during an argument about him busking in a park.

Fergus Charles O'Hara leaving Maroochydore Magistrates Court on April 4, 2025. Picture: Sam Turner

A saxophonist has been involved in a bizarre incident with two women where he poured grass clippings over them and punched one of them in the face over a feud about him busking.

Fergus Charles O’Hara delivered the shocking attack on the two women at Cotton Tree Park on September 15 last year after the women approached the 75-year-old and asked him to play in another park. They also accused him of busking.

The Maroochydore Magistrates Court was told the musician contended with the pair and stated he was only practising, with tensions heating up about his saxophone competing with their own music nearby.

Police prosecutor Pedau Grabbe said during the argument the women overheard O’Hara say words to the effect of “someone is going to end up in hospital today”.

Senior Constable Grabbe said the 75-year-old approached the women who were sitting at a bench nearby and threw grass clippings and mulch over both of them. This cascaded over their head, shoulders, lap and back.

O’Hara after his sentence. Picture: Sam Turner

O’Hara then struck one of the women in the side of the face and broke her nose. She also suffered from severe swelling and bruising to her eye. He also damaged a pair of glasses.

While being assessed, Senior Constable Grabbe said the victim suffered from a heart condition brought on by stress while in the ambulance and was taken to Sunshine Coast University Hospital.

The victim was there for two days and discharged however had to return to get her nose treated.

The attack took place at Cotton Tree. Picture: Lachie Millard

Defence solicitor Rose Killip said the attack came in the context of an issue between O’Hara and people who did not enjoy his musical performances in the park at Cotton Tree, where he played twice a month for the past four years.

Ms Killip was instructed the women were playing their own music on a speaker which was competing against him playing. She said this was not an excuse but merely told for context.

The court heard O’Hara had no criminal history and wrote an apology to the victim, with Ms Killip saying the assault was out of character.

When reading out the allegations of serious assault of a person over 60 and wilful damage which O’Hara pleaded guilty to, magistrate Haydn Stjernqvist plainly called it “outrageous” and was an “unfortunate” public display of violence.

O’Hara was jailed for six months but it was suspended immediately for nine months. He must also pay $2000 in compensation.