Lachlan Thomas Johnson sentenced for smashing window at The Lennox Hotel

A truckie spat and smashed a glass window at a popular North Coast hotel because he was being mocked by a group of women inside, a court has heard.

The Lennox Hotel at Lennox Head. Picture: File

A North Coast truckie spat and punched a glass window at The Lennox Hotel until it smashed after claiming he was being mocked by a group of women inside, a court has heard.

Lachlan Thomas Johnson, 21, pleaded guilty at Ballina Local Court on Thursday to recklessly damaging property.

The Lennox Head truck driver was having a few drinks with friends at The Lennox Hotel when a heated argument erupted about 12.30am on December 4 last year, police documents state.

Johnson’s friends were arguing with a group of women, some the group went to school with, before he and his friends were asked to leave by security.

As Johnson left the hotel with his group, he walked up to the window the women were sitting behind.

Johnson pleaded guilty to recklessly damaging property.

“He spat at the window before punching it, causing it to shatter,” police documents state.

Johnson told police: “I’ll admit I did the wrong thing”.

“They [the women] were sorta mocking through the window and I just sorta punched, lost my cool and hit the window causing it to smash,” he said.

Johnson represented himself in court and apologised.

“I’m very sorry, it was the wrong thing to do and I can reimburse for the damage,” he said.

Ballina Local Court. Picture: Savannah Pocock.

The damage will cost $1,296.50, court documents state.

Magistrate Kathy Crittenden said there is no excuse for this conduct.

“Alcohol-fuelled violence towards licence premises is taken very seriously,” Ms Crittenden said.

“It makes the lives of those that work at the hotel that much harder as business people.”

The court heard Johnson has a lack of prior convictions and was sentenced to a 12-month conditional release order without a conviction.