Maroubra man, videographer Nicholas Ahlgren sentenced over Little Bay nudist beach assault

A “videographer” who took his drone out for a spin at a well known nudist beach in Sydney’s east unleashed a violent attack on two men who told him to stop filming.

An evening visit to a nudist beach in Sydney’s east descended into chaos after a “videographer” flying a drone over beachgoers attacked two men after they requested he stop filming.

Maroubra man Nicholas Ahlgren faced Waverley Local Court on Wednesday, after pleading guilty to common assault, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, refusing or failing to comply with direction and two counts of destroying or damaging property.

The 30-year-old was not charged with any filming offences in relation to the drone.

Agreed facts revealed on the evening of February 7, Ahlgren, who the court heard is a videographer and photographer, was flying a drone over a well known nudist beach in Little Bay.

Just after 7pm, two men who had already seen Ahlgren be approached by other beachgoers asked he put the drone away and respect their privacy.

Ahlgren leaves Waverley Local Court on Wednesday

According to agreed facts, a witness who was with Ahlgren apologised to the men, explaining they didn’t realise they were at a nudist spot.

Ahlgren became “aggressive and defensive” arguing he was allowed to use his drone.

The nudist beach is at Little Bay. Picture TripAdvisor

About 15 minutes later, while walking back to their vehicle, the men encountered Ahlgren who was holding a 2m spear gun, agreed facts state.

Ahlgren asked the pair: “do we have a problem” to which one man replied: “yes, the problem is you flying the drone”.

According to agreed facts, Ahlgren started getting up into the man’s face who warned he would call the police.

It was at this point Ahlgren dropped the speargun and started punching the man’s head, knocking him to the ground and continued attacking him.

After pulling Ahlgren off his friend, the other man was attacked and also knocked to the ground, suffering a bleeding nose and black eye.

Ahlgren threw the pair’s backpack into the bushes before landing a final punch to the first man.

Ahlgren, who represented himself, told the court it wasn’t his intention to start a physical altercation but admitted he “threw the first punch” for which he was “deeply sorry”.

Ahlgren also said, at the time, he thought it was appropriate for him to fly the drone because somebody else was also doing it.

“I’m a photographer, videographer” he said.

“I haven’t taken pictures of anything inappropriate or anything of that sort, it just looks bad.

“I was flying it to get footage of the island, and that sort of thing I post on line for everyone to see.”

Magistrate Michael Barko said there was “no excuse” for Ahlgren’s behaviour.

“People want their privacy, they don't want to hear that little ‘zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz’ [sic] flying around them,” he said.

“What is the world coming to, can’t you just enjoy vitamin D without someone flying a drone around.”

In sentencing, Magistrate Barko described Ahlgren as a “person of otherwise good character, who lost emotional control and beat up some people who wanted to lay nude at Little Bay”.

Ahlgren was convicted and sentenced to a 12 month community corrections order.

He was also ordered to pay the victims a total of $500 compensation for breaking both their glasses during the assault.