‘Brutal over-reaction’: Man guilty of baseball bat attack over litter bugging

A tradie who took a baseball bat to the car of a 72-year-old who called out his passenger for littering has pleaded guilty to multiple offences.

A South East Queensland tradie who took a baseball bat to a 72-year-old man’s car in an “absolutely terrifying” incident was later found in possession of drugs including ice, cocaine and steroids.

Will Warren, 22, was captured on CCTV in November 2020 taking a bat from the back seat of his Mercedes-Benz and using it to shatter the windscreen of another car, smashing the passenger window and hitting the bonnet before trying to get inside the vehicle.

His lawyer on Tuesday told the Brisbane Supreme Court Warren’s actions had been a “brutal over-reaction” to the 72-year-old driver calling out his passenger for littering near a grocery store at Yarrabilba in Logan.

Supreme Court Justice Elizabeth Wilson watched security footage of the attack in court and said the incident would have been “absolutely terrifying” for the elderly driver, who Warren then continued to shout at.

“It shows real violent tendencies that are very concerning,” Justice Wilson said.

Crown prosecutor Chontelle Farnsworth said the incident was sparked when the 72-year-old man saw rubbish being thrown out of the window of Warren’s car.

“He picked up the rubbish and knocked on the passenger-side window,” she said.

“The female passenger refused to take it, so the 72-year-old placed it on the windshield; the defendant’s car drove off but returned about 10 minutes later.”

CCTV still of the baseball bat attack

The victim was reversing his car to leave the car park but was stopped when his vehicle was set upon by Warren with the baseball bat, who shattered the windscreen, causing injuries to the driver and causing extensive damage to the car.

About a month later, on December 15, 2020, police searched Warren’s home where they found quantities of drugs including ice, OxyContin tablets and steroids.

He was arrested and taken to a watch house, where a police officer recognised him from the footage of the attack on the car the month before.

Warren spent 45 days in custody before he was released on Supreme Court bail on January 28, 2021.

Ten months after his release on bail on November 21, 2021, police searched his home where they discovered 58.775g of white powder in a toilet after an unsuccessful attempt to flush it.

Testing revealed the powder contained 7.9g of pure cocaine.

Police also discovered an encrypted phone and $8900 cash.

Warren pleaded guilty to 10 offences including five counts of possessing dangerous drugs and single charges of wilful damage and attempted unlawful entry of a motor vehicle.

Will Warren outside Brisbane Supreme Court on Tuesday. Picture: Liam Kidston

Ms Farnsworth said since being released on bail in January 2021, Warren had been dealt with 11 times for committing traffic offences and submitted it displayed his “blatant disrespect for the law”.

“Despite being on bail and despite making attempts to rehabilitate himself after being released on bail he has continued to commit offences,” she said.

Defence barrister Matt Jackson said Warren was a young man who had suffered a number of setbacks in life and that a sentence of actual imprisonment would impede his efforts to make a positive change.

“I accept it’s misguided and a brutal over-reaction but it’s not gratuitous violence,” Mr Jackson said of the initial offending.

“Your honour is sentencing a 22-year-old who has made some strides towards rehabilitation.”

Mr Jackson said Warren owned a tiling business which employed another tradesman and an apprentice and that he was in the process of opening a gaming arcade business at Yarrabilba.

The court heard Warren had engaged in a residential rehabilitation program and was no longer using drugs.

Justice Wilson adjourned Warren’s sentencing to later this week to allow him to provide the court with proof of his negative drug tests.

Warren’s supporters clashed with a television camera outside court with a man and woman both seen grabbing and pushing the video camera as Warren ran away.

No police action was taken.

Will Warren outside Brisbane Supreme Court on Tuesday. Picture: Liam Kidston