Airlie Beach Schoolies Week 2021: Hayden Edward Matton in court for public nuisance

A tradie who says he ‘blacked out’ after drinking has been banned from the Airlie Beach party precinct after trying to fight others and hassling young women during Schoolies Week.

A North Queensland tradie accused of “hassling” multiple young women during Airlie Beach Schoolies Week said he blacked out after too many double shots of whisky at Magnums.

Hayden Edward Matton, 20, was reported to police multiple times for his behaviour in the night-life precinct on November 24, which included taking off his shirt, trying to fight two male Schoolies about 12.30am and hassling an lone female Schoolie shortly after.

Proserpine Magistrates Court heard Matton was hassling a second young female sitting alone on a park bench at the Airlie Beach Lagoon car park when police approached and told him to move on about 1am.

Police prosecutor Sergeant Emma Myors said an aggressive Matton stated at the time “I haven’t done anything wrong” then charged at the police vehicle saying “Come on c*nt, arrest me then”.

Matton pleaded guilty to committing public nuisance but told the court “When I was last stopped, the lady I was talking to was 26 and from the UK – not a Schoolie”.

The former Moranbah Airport mechanic told the court he lost his job because of the Covid-19 pandemic and had been unemployed and living off his parents since, but had a new job lined up as a mine operator “as soon as [he gets] the [Covid-19] jabs”.

Matton told the court he was not a big drinker and travelled to Airlie Beach during Schoolies Week to go skydiving, not partying. Picture: Facebook

He said he travelled to Airlie Beach from his home at Dysart that week go skydiving but instead went out drinking with a 38-year-old mate.

“I wasn’t planning to go out – I’m not a big drinker, I don’t drink usually at all,” he said.

“I guess I blacked out – I don’t really remember much after that.”

Magistrate James Morton told him “kids celebrating the end of their schooling don’t need to put up with you”.

Matton was fined $350 and hit with a 12-month ban from the Airlie Beach Safe Night Precinct. A conviction was not recorded.