Redlands police sergeant’s son fined for hitting 64-year-old

The son of a police senior sergeant knocked a 64-year-old unconscious after being asked to show ID, a court has heard.

A Redlands police senior sergeant’s son has been fined a total of $1300 for hitting a bottleshop attendant, 64, over the head.

Frustration at not being able to work after crippling back pain led a young electrician to hit a 64-year-old bottle shop attendant over the head when he was asked for ID, a court has heard.

The victim, from Victoria Point, had asked Christopher Wade Viertel, 29, of Surfers Paradise, and his partner and a friend to show proof of age when they went to pay for drinks at the BWS bottle shop in Victoria Point on November 24 last year.

Viertel’s defence counsel told Cleveland Magistrates Court this morning that Viertel was the son of a local senior sergeant and had a good record apart from a scuffle many years ago when a man allegedly filmed up his then girlfriend’s skirt at a pub.

She tendered a letter of support from Viertel’s father and a letter of apology from Viertel.

Viertel told Magistrate Deborah Vasta that, after finding out he was connected to the victim through social circles, he tried to personally reach out to apologise.

“I’m very embarrassed. I didn’t want to hurt the man, I knew he was older,’’ Viertel told the court via telephone link.

“I became aware that I have connections to his family and I have put an apology out there.’’

Viertel’s defence said he had had three beers at the Victoria Point Tavern with his Canadian partner and a friend before driving to the bottle shop, where they tried to buy more alcohol.

They showed ID but Viertel, whom his defence counsel said was not drunk at the time, refused to do so and got into an argument.

CCTV footage played to the court showed an argument between the victim and Viertel, who lashed out with an open hand, hitting the attendant on the head.

The attendant fell to the ground and was unconscious for several minutes.

He lay on the floor for about half an hour before being taken to Princess Alexandra Hospital.

The footage showed the girlfriend putting the victim in the recovery position before all three left.

Viertel’s defence said he was unaware the man was badly injured, otherwise he would not have left.

“He described (the blow) as a clip over the ears. He was intending to knock the glasses off the victim’s head,’’ she said.

She said her client, a self-employed electrician, had been unable to work after injuring his back in July last year.

He had had two operations and was due to have a third before the coronavirus pandemic caused elective surgery to be delayed.

Ms Vasta said while it seemed obvious Viertel and his companions were over 18, that was no reason for the attack.

“This was incredibly violent behaviour. He (Viertel) is a big man. This is mind blowing bullying, really, I just have no idea where your client was coming from,’’ she said.

“The law says you can’t pick your victims. You had no way of knowing if he (the attendant) could have been a victim of a (previous) armed robbery, he could have been experiencing that all over again.

“But I think your letter of remorse will go some way to helping him.’’

Ms Vasta said she took into account Viertel’s relatively good record, the letter of support from his father and the fact he had pleaded guilty, thus sparing the victim from testifying in court.

She did not record a conviction, but fined Viertel $500 and ordered he pay his victim $800 compensation so he could seek counselling if he required it.