Zeke Francis Shackleton in Maroochydore court for Ocean St grievous bodily harm

A FIFO worker who downed 17 rum and cokes before punching a man in the face and splitting his lip outside a popular Sunshine Coast nightclub has been jailed.

A father and FIFO worker has been jailed for repeatedly punching a man in the face causing his lip to split in half in a popular Sunshine Coast entertainment precinct.

Zeke Francis Shackleton, 28, was sentenced in Maroochydore District Court on May 23, 2022, to two years prison suspended after serving three months, along with 50 hours community service to be completed within 12 months.

Crown prosecutor Alex Stark said Shackleton was at the Peak nightclub on Ocean St in Maroochydore when he got into an argument with a 34-year-old man on January 16, 2021.

Shackelton pushed the man to the ground and they were both evicted from the venue.

Shortly after, Shackleton was waiting on the street for a ride home when he saw the victim walk past with his girlfriend and another argument started.

Zeke Shackleton pleaded guilty to one count of grievous bodily harm in a public place while affected by an intoxicating substance.

The court heard the victim pushed his girlfriend behind his back to protect her but Shackleton saw this as a threat and approached him with clenched fists.

A sober witness later told police it appeared the victim was trying to de-escalate the fight by keeping Shackleton at arms length, but the victim was in a “protectively aggressive” stance.

Shackleton then punched the victim in the face three times, with the third punch splitting his lower lip in two.

“The injury has since been resolved with stitching and treatment,” Mr Stark told the court.

The victim also suffered bruising and swelling to his eye.

The court heard Shackleton had consumed about 17 rum and cokes over a six hour period.

Defence solicitor Anna Smith said her client didn’t recall clenching his fists and thought he was going to be attacked by the victim.

“The injury is at the lower end of the scale … he reacted to what was a perceived threat,” Ms Smith said.

Ms Smith said Shackleton had broken up with his partner at the time and was “drowning his sorrows” in alcohol.

Zeke Shackleton pleaded guilty to one count of grievous bodily harm in a public place while affected by an intoxicating substance.

She said Shackleton’s criminal history of violence showed he was a person who misused alcohol and had anger management issues in the past.

Ms Smith told the court Shackleton was now back with his partner and was fathering three children with her, one of which was his biological child.

Shackleton pleaded guilty to one count of grievous bodily harm in a public place while affected by an intoxicating substance.

Judge Michael Byrne described the incident as a “drunken fracas” and said the “nasty” injury would have amounted to serious disfigurement if left untreated.

Judge Byrne recorded a conviction against Shackleton.