Harry Jeremiah Sullivan: Warwick man in court after drunken outburst, cop pursuit

A big night out has ended in a court date for a young man who fought against and tried to flee from the bar security and police officers struggling to remove him from a popular venue.

A young Warwick man who lashed out at security staff and police after being kicked out of a pub on a big night out has been sentenced in court, copping a stern warning from the magistrate over his aggressive outburst.

Harry Jeremiah Sullivan was heavily intoxicated with a group of friends at the Old Soul nightclub in Maroochydore just after midnight on April 17 when he was asked to leave the premises.

Warwick Magistrates Court was told police patrolling the area soon saw security guards struggling to physically remove the 23-year-old from the building, which did not deter Sullivan from trying to sneak back into the bar several times.

IN COURT: Harry Jeremiah Sullivan was sentenced in Warwick Magistrates Court this week. Picture: file

Police prosecutor Steve de Lissa said the Warwick man was again standing in the entry queue when officers finally tracked him down, becoming argumentative during questioning and refusing to provide police with his name or address.

He said Sullivan grew increasingly agitated and knocked an iPad held by one of the officers to the ground before sprinting away from the scene.

“Police ran after (Sullivan) with other security staff and caught up with him about 50m away,” Sergeant de Lissa said.

“He refused to comply with directions and as a result was placed under arrest and transported to the watch-house, charged, and later released.”

Duty lawyer Clare Hine told the Warwick court that Sullivan was enjoying a weekend away with mates when his night spiralled of control, and his clean criminal history and work ethic as an apprentice welder showed the offending was extremely out of character.

“My client is extremely embarrassed and remorseful to be before you today,” she said.

Magistrate Virginia Sturgess warned Sullivan that he should see his brush with the law as a valuable lesson about the consequences of behaving badly on a big night out.

“Drinking too much isn’t an excuse,” she said.

“You do something stupid that you wouldn’t do when you’re sober, it doesn’t matter. It’s not the drink’s fault, it’s yours.”

Sullivan pleaded guilty to one count each of obstructing police while adversely affected, contravening a police direction, and failing to leave a licensed premises.

He was ordered to complete 40 hours’ unpaid community service and no conviction was recorded.