Tyrone Jeffcock pleads guilty to wilful damage, public nuisance at Big Top car park

A miner has been ordered to pay thousands of dollars after he damaged a vehicle before getting into a fight in a busy shopping centre car park.

Tyrone Kurtis Jeffcock leaving Maroochydore Magistrates Court on Thursday. Picture: Sam Turner

A Mackay fly-in fly-out worker will have to pay thousands of dollars to repair a person’s car after he damaged it before a scrap at a shopping centre car park.

Police had warned Tyrone Kurtis Jeffcock to leave the Maroochydore Safe Night Precinct in the early hours of September 15, however the 23-year-old continue to loiter before a violent incident about 1.35am.

The Beerburrum man’s drunken antics were heard in the Maroochydore Magistrates Court on Thursday after Jeffcock pleaded guilty to public nuisance, wilful damage and contravening a police direction.

Police prosecutor Mark Burrell said police were conducting foot patrols on Maroochydore’s Ocean St about 1am when they came across a “moderately intoxicated” Jeffcock who pulled down temporary fencing outside the Post Office Bar.

Jeffcock pleaded guilty to three charges.

Senior Constable Burrell said security complained to police, who gave Jeffcock a move on direction to leave Ocean St.

The court heard Jeffcock was seen on Ocean St 20 minutes later and was warned again to leave, with the 23-year-old saying he was trying to get home.

Ten minutes later police were called to a disturbance at the Big Top Shopping Centre car park where a vehicle owner told police his windscreen had been intentionally smashed by the Beerburrum man as he drove out of the area.

He then pointed to Jeffcock, who was sitting on the other side of the car park.

Tyrone Kurtis Jeffcock leaving Maroochydore Magistrates Court on October 17, 2024. Picture: Sam Turner

Senior Constable Burrell said the victim told police when he got out of his car to inspect the damage, Jeffcock tried to fight him and the victim was forced to protect himself.

When officers spoke to Jeffcock, they saw he had a bloody nose and a cut to his right knuckle. They arrested and charged him.

Duty lawyer Michael Robinson said Jeffcock was out for his brother’s 21st birthday that night and recalled damaging the windscreen of the vehicle at the shopping centre car park.

Mr Robinson said he was instructed the young men in the vehicle had exchanged banter with Jeffcock before he reacted and smashed the windscreen.

The lawyer said at that point the people in the car hopped out and “gave him a bit of a touch up”.

He told the court Beerburrum man, who worked as a FIFO worker in Mackay, was happy to pay restitution.

Magistrate Rod Madsen fined Jeffcock a total of $2000, and ordered him to pay $2324.50 restitution. Convictions were recorded.