Fisherman Beau Groenendyk in Coffs court for assault, resist police

A fisherman with a history of violence has been on bail at his mother’s house in Coffs Harbour since going on a bender at the jetty. This week he was sentenced for assaulting and resisting officers.

Skipper Beau Groenendyk leaves Coffs Harbour courthouse.

With his boat forced to take shelter at Coffs Harbour in bad weather, long line fisherman Beau Daniel Groenendyk decided to go to the yacht club for a few drinks on February 2.

The plan soon went awry with the 40-year-old downing approximately 12 alcoholic drinks, Coffs Harbour Local Court heard.

Lawyer Erica Timmins told the court he had “little memory of what followed.”

At the time he was already serving an intensive corrections order, issued on January 13 last year, for a domestic assault.

Mr Rodgers outlined the shocking nature of this assault on a woman he was in a relationship with at the time.

“He grabbed her hair and pulled her down to the ground and the victim sustained a laceration to the head.”

She tried to kick Mr Groenendyk but missed and he grabbed her arm and twisted it.

Ms Timmins told the court her client was at “somewhat of a crossroads” in his life and recognised he needed to undergo drug and alcohol counselling.

She also told the court her client last year spent three and a half months in custody for charges that were later withdrawn and argued that another short term stint in prison would serve little purpose.

The court heard police were called to the Coffs Harbour Jetty area by NSW Ambulance paramedics who needed help with what Magistrate Ian Rodgers said was a “separate incident”.

When officers approached, Mr Groenendyk grabbed one of them and put him in a headlock and “held tight and would not let go”.

The officer was able to break free and when they tried again to arrest him he grabbed the arm of another officer pulling on it and continuing to resist.

Mr Groenendyk continued to “thrash and yell” and had to be subdued with capsicum spray before he was finally arrested.

He was charged with assaulting a police officer in the execution of duty without causing actual bodily harm and two counts of resisting or hindering a police officer in the execution of duty.

He pleaded guilty to all three charges and was remanded in custody before being released on bail on February 7.

Mr Groenendyk has been living at his mother’s home in Coffs Harbour.

In court on Monday Mr Rodgers imposed an aggregate term of imprisonment of 10 months, ending on January 20, 2023.

The term of imprisonment is to be served by way of intensive correction in the community which includes supervision by a Community Corrections Officer and 50 hours of community service.