Shannon Dennis pleads guilty to assault of Brisbane service employee

An employee at a busy Brisbane service station will receive just $250 compensation from a man who assaulted her while at work and in broad daylight.

Shannon John Dennis, 44, of Buddina outside the Brisbane Magistrates Court on Wednesday, April 5.

A Sunshine Coast man is out of pocket $500 after he made the “stupid’ decision to assault an employee at a popular inner-city service station.

Shannon John Dennis, 44, of Buddina faced the Brisbane Magistrates Court on Wednesday, April 5 and pleaded guilty to a charge of common assault.

The court heard he was previously charged with sexual assault but the offence was amended to be less serious.

Police prosecutor Harry Coburn said Dennis attended 7-Eleven Brisbane City midmorning on November 10, 2021 and unlawfully assaulted a female worker.

The woman was cleaning a beverage machine when Dennis walked past her and pressed his hand firmly against her bottom.

“The victim stated that she continued her duties but she had felt something pressed against her,” Mr Coburn said.

“The nature of the offence only came out upon review of the CCTV (footage)”.

Mr Coburn said Dennis was “no stranger to the court” and had previously been convicted of assault occasioning bodily harm in 2006 or 2007.

Defence lawyer David Abrey said his client left school in Year 9 and became involved with a crowd that was “not the best” for him. He conceded his actions were “stupid”.

Magistrate Peter Saggers said the victim found the incident “upsetting”.

“It was a stupid thing to do,” he told Dennis.

“It was the woman’s workplace. You have no right to do what you did.”

Dennis was fined $250 and ordered to pay an additional $250 compensation to his victim.

A conviction was recorded.