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Michael Carver Evans from Old Bar beach pleads guilty in Taree court after beach incident

A court has heard more shocking details about a Mid-North Coast man’s disturbing behaviour at his local beach. Read the details.

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A Mid-North Coast man has been accused of predatory behaviour at a local beach on a number of occasions, it has been revealed in court.

At one point during investigations, police officers went to Michael Carver Evans’ Old Bar home and a young female neighbour alleged he had been peeping through her window

Evans previously pleaded not guilty to several charges Taree Magistrate Allison Hawkins told the court do “not correlate” with the “disturbing elements of the facts”.

But now the 68-year-old has changed his plea to guilty, Taree Local Court heard on Wednesday.

Michael Carver Evans from Old Bar is under 'house arrest' after breaching his bail twice.
Michael Carver Evans from Old Bar is under 'house arrest' after breaching his bail twice.

The retiree was charged with destroy/damage a police vehicle and hindering/resisting a police officer in the execution of their duty on January 15. Evans was also charged with common assault and using intimidation/violence to unlawfully influence a person – a lifeguard on duty at Old Bar beach – on January 27.

The court was told police went to Evans’ home on January 15 to investigate allegations made by a 17-year-old female beach goer, who said Evans touched her hands, neck and body without consent.

The young woman and her family did not want to make a formal report but asked that Evans be spoken to.

Police checks showed reports of similar behaviour by Evans involving several young females in Old Bar and Taree between 2014 and 2021, court documents state.

Evans was “immediately irate” when police arrived and pointed his finger at officers, calling them d---heads and c--ts, police facts reveal.

Then the young female neighbour approached police with her mother about Evans’ behaviour.

Evans moved to go back inside and as the officers returned to their car he turned and “rushed violently” at the vehicle, ripping a part off the door.

Old Bar. Picture: Facebook.
Old Bar. Picture: Facebook.

He was taken to the ground and hit his head, but continued to resist arrest.

Evans was repeatedly asked to roll onto his stomach and capsicum sprayed when he refused, the documents state.

He told officers: “She was coming onto me – she appeared to be keen, that’s all I’m saying”.

The court heard the victim in the January beach incident, the lifeguard on duty, noticed Evans getting very close to a group at the beach.

Evans bumped shoulders and touched one male on his bare chest and back, prompting the lifeguard to approach and ask: “Are you boys OK?”

Evans said: “Piss off you piece of s--t” and the lifeguard responded with “listen pal, you need to leave these kids alone”.

Evans continued with a tirade and called the lifeguard “a weak piece of s--t”, telling him “why don’t you f*** off or I’ll punch you in the head.”

The lifeguard returned to the patrol tent and called police, who arrested Evans at the beach the next day.

Evans told police the group were his friends but he was unable to provide any names.

He admitted to saying to the lifeguard the previous day that “age is just a number”, but said he could not recall exactly when, the documents state.

Evans assaulted a lifesaver. File image.
Evans assaulted a lifesaver. File image.

Evans bail conditions were tightened to a form of house arrest in February, when he was warned by Ms Hawkins: “If you can’t stay away from young people in swimming areas, as clearly ordered by the court, you are sending a message to the court that you want to be locked up.”

During his most recent court appearance, Evans lawyer Matthew Giles told the court there were “underlying mental health issues” to consider when it came to sentencing.

Ms Hawkins ordered a sentencing assessment report and altered bail slightly to allow Evans to leave home to attend health appointments.

The case was adjourned to July 10.

Originally published as Michael Carver Evans from Old Bar beach pleads guilty in Taree court after beach incident

Original URL: https://www.goldcoastbulletin.com.au/news/regional/michael-carver-evans-from-old-bar-beach-pleads-guilty-in-taree-court-after-beach-incident/news-story/b1cea76ca628b65da2c9b5e99d78b9b4