Redland Bay Hotel clash: mum spared criminal record after wild 18th birthday night

A Redland mother has avoided a conviction after a drunken birthday celebration at the Redland Bay Hotel turned into an assault on the manager.

The Redland Bay Hotel, where the incident occurred. Picture: File

A Redland mother and long-serving disability worker has narrowly avoided a criminal conviction after a birthday night out spiralled into a drunken assault at the Redland Bay Hotel.

Kelli-Ann Burley, 53, pleaded guilty in Cleveland Magistrates Court on Thursday to assault occasioning bodily harm, committing a public nuisance near licensed premises, failing to leave licensed premises when directed, and wilful exposure intended to offend or embarrass.

The court heard Ms Burley had gone to the Redland Bay Hotel with family and friends to celebrate her daughter’s 18th birthday.

The plan was for the group to stay until midnight so her daughter could have her first legal drink.

However, trouble began when one member of the group was refused entry for being too intoxicated.

Ms Burley went outside to intervene, and an argument followed.

She then went back inside to tell her friends what had happened, which led to further conflict with the venue’s manager.

Magistrate Deborah Vasta told Ms Burley that the night’s events could have dramatically changed her life.

“You’re 53, you’ve never been in trouble before. That night, in the space of a few minutes, you potentially changed the course of your life,” Magistrate Vasta said.

The court heard Ms Burley assaulted the hotel manager, causing a small scratch on his neck.

She then refused to leave when directed and later exposed herself.

Kelli-Ann Burley, 53, pleaded guilty in Cleveland Magistrates Court on Thursday to charges related to an incident at the Redland Bay Hotel.

Ms Burley’s lawyer told the court she had spent nearly two decades working in the disability and mental health sector under the NDIS and had just applied for a senior therapist role with Queensland Health at Logan, Redlands and Princess Alexandra hospitals.

The court was told Ms Burley was deeply remorseful and embarrassed and could not remember much of the night because of her intoxication.

She has since given up alcohol altogether.

Her lawyer argued that a conviction would put her at risk of losing her “yellow card” and “blue card”, which are mandatory for working with vulnerable people and children in Queensland.

Magistrate Vasta noted Ms Burley’s otherwise unblemished history but warned her about the risks of alcohol, comparing its effects to a frog slowly boiling in water.

“We don’t realise how much you’ve had to drink, because all of those decisions the minute you start drinking alcohol … your discretion about how much you have, whether you should keep drinking, all of that is impaired,” she said.

Ms Burley wrote a letter of apology to the victim, which the court accepted.

Magistrate Vasta ordered Ms Burley to complete 50 hours of community service and to pay $400 compensation to the hotel manager but declined to record a conviction, describing it as out of proportion given her “unblemished” 18 years’ working in disability services.

She was warned she must comply with the order immediately and report for community service without delay.

“You might find yourself on a Sunday morning getting up early and going to do some community service until you finish the hours,” Magistrate Vasta said.

“You cannot commit another offence and you cannot leave Queensland until those hours are completed.”

Ms Burley agreed to the conditions and told the court she now stays home with her children, works two jobs and no longer drinks.