Neerim Ropata Reginald Lloyd Peters in court for Airlie Beach police car damage
A North Queensland man has been fined for vandalising multiple police cars – but nowhere near the amount the local panel beater claimed he should pay.
Police & Courts
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A young Bowen farm worker has avoided paying $5000 for drunkenly jumping on the roof of a police car.
Neerim Ropata Reginald Lloyd Peters, 26, was facing the hefty bill after a night out when he vandalised a second police car because he was “bored”.
Peters first appeared in Proserpine Magistrates Court on Monday pleading guilty to wilful damage of police property and committing public nuisance near a licensed premises in the Airlie Beach party precinct on October 10.
The court heard Peters and an alleged co-offender filmed each other climbing on to the roof of an unattended police car parked outside Mama Africa nightclub about 3am, causing the roof to “flex inward”.
New Zealand-born Peters repeatedly yelled at police that he was “a sovereign Aboriginal” and did not “give a f--k” when they later arrested him at McDonalds.
Police prosecutor Sergeant Emma Myors said the bill to repair the damage totalled $10,456.58 which would be split between Peters and his alleged co-offender, a 22-year-old Sarina man.
On viewing photographs of the damaged vehicle, Magistrate James Morton questioned how “a dint in the roof and a few handprints” could result in such a sum, and remanded Peters in custody overnight so police could reassess the claim.
At Bowen Magistrates Court for sentencing the next day, Sgt Myors said Peters had used handcuffs to carve his name in the back of the police car driving him from the Whitsunday watch-house.
Defence lawyer Peta Vernon said alcohol was a major factor in the first incident and her client was merely “adding to” some letters somebody else had previously carved into the seat in the second, to which he also pleaded guilty to wilful damage.
Sgt Myors said the cost of the fresh damage was yet to be determined but a closer look at the $10,000 bill from the first incident revealed repair works would require the removal of the entire roof, which would impact various other fittings such as seating and lighting.
Mr Morton remained unconvinced and reiterated comments about steering clear of the police’s chosen panel beaters, should he ever need work done on his own car.
“This is typical of a panel beaters,” Mr Morton said as he ran through the list of proposed repairs.
“It’s unreal. It’s beyond comprehension,” he said as he read on.
Mr Morton ultimately decided Peters’ lack of stable employment made him incapable of paying any amount of compensation.
The sentence was an $850 fine and a 12-month ban from the Airlie Beach Safe Night Precinct, with convictions recorded.
Mr Morton told Peters being a “sovereign Aboriginal” did not give him the right to damage government property.
“If you think your cultural heritage is going to win you votes, believe me it won’t,” he said.
“Your ‘sovereign’ thing is not going to get you anything if you’re doing the wrong thing.”
The co-accused’s charges have been adjourned to Moranbah Magistrates Court.
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