Nicholas Cook: Iluka man sentenced for drunken behaviour at McLachlan Park, Maclean

After urinating into the Clarence River, a drunk man refused a police direction to move on and baited the officers — at one point yelling “come and get me c**ts” — before attacking them on his arrest.

Nicholas Cook was sentenced Maclean Local Court.

After urinating into the Clarence River, a drunk man refused a police direction to move on and then started to bait the officers — at one point yelling “come and get me c**ts” — before attacking them.

Iluka man Nicholas Cook’s drunken night out with his mates came back to haunt him when he was sentenced for his shocking behaviour at Maclean Local Court on Thursday.

The 35-year-old man pleaded guilty to a string of charges, including resisting a police officer, assaulting a police officer, behaving in an offensive manner in a public place and continuing to be intoxicated after receiving an order to move away.

Documents tendered to court lay out how a night drinking by the Clarence River with mates in Maclean turned into a nasty bust up with police officers.

According to court documents, just after 7pm on March 7, Cook was drinking alcohol with three of his mates at the rotunda in McLachlan Park— a designated alcohol prohibition zone.

Nicholas Cook entering Maclean Local Court.

Police saw the four men sitting at the bench, drinking, yelling, swearing and playing loud music.

“Police approached the four males however at the time, (Cook) was standing next to the riverbank and appeared to be urinating into the water,” police facts state.

Nicholas Cook.

“Upon asking the group to turn the music down, (Cook) was heard to yell ‘What the f**k do you want’.”

But despite this abuse, Cook — albeit briefly — obeyed the orders of police and moved on.

However it was not for long because police soon returned to the location and found Cook drinking with two of his friends once more, a court heard.

After police arrested one of Cook’s friends, he could be heard “yelling and swearing at police, at the top of his voice” and his behaviour was witnessed by people having dinner across the road.

Court documents state after police arrested the friend, the Iluka man was heard to say: “Come and get me c**ts”.

Police then turned their attention to Cook, who resisted arrest by pushing back against an officer and trying to break free.

“Upon picking up (Cook) from the ground, he turned toward (a senior constable) and spat at his face,” police facts state.

After spitting at the officer and continuing to resist arrest, Cook continued to kick the inside of the police car and yell obscenities at police.

In court, Cooks’ defence lawyer said her client admits he has alcohol and drug problems, adding he made a poor decision that night while heavily intoxicated after having previously been asked to move on by police.

Magistrate Juliana Crofts agreed Cook’s decision to spit at the police officer was “such a sign of disrespect”.

“For a man of your age, you should know better by now,” she said.

Ms Crofts convicted Cook of all the offences and sentenced him to a 12 month community correction order as well as fined $200.