Brandon James Shaw: Gold Coast dad punches Macca’s worker, assaults Uber driver in wild drunken outburst

A 29-year-old dad has admitted to assaulting his Uber driver and thumping a McDonald’s worker in a violent outburst. Read what happened in court

A Gold Coast father punched a McDonald’s employee in the head and assaulted his Uber driver in a violent drunken outburst, a court has heard.

An intoxicated Brandon James Shaw ordered an Uber to pick him up from Broadbeach about 5.20am on May 22, and asked his driver to take him through the McDonald’s drive-through at Burleigh Heads.

Southport Magistrates Court heard the 29-year-old fell asleep en route to Macca’s and lashed out when his Uber driver tried to wake him, saying, “You make my f – king order then”.

Shaw refused to get out of the car when asked by the driver and grabbed the other man’s hand when he tried to undo his seatbelt, leaving him with a small scratch.

Police were called to the scene and a McDonald’s employee blocked Shaw from attempting to follow the Uber driver inside, the court heard.

The Gold Coast man tried to shove past the staff member and punched him in the head when he was again denied entry, leaving his second victim with minor redness and bruising.

The court was told this was Shaw’s first violent offending, though he had several public nuisance incidents on his criminal history.

Defence lawyer Luke De Michele said his client’s history showed alcohol could be a problem for him, and Shaw had since sought help from a psychiatrist and his GP.

He asked that no conviction be recorded to ensure Shaw could continue visiting his wife’s family in Brazil.

Shaw pleaded guilty to two counts of common assault.

He was placed on 12 months’ probation and no conviction was recorded.