Gold Coast man climbed through pub window, tackled and punched bouncer

A Gold Coast man climbed through a popular Surfers Paradise pub window, tackled and punched a bouncer, Southport Magistrate Court heard. Read why he did it.

Dale Allan Cousins leaves Southport Magistrates Court on April 27, 2023.

A Gold Coast man who tried to climb through the window of a Surfers Paradise pub before crash tackling and punching a bouncer has narrowly avoided jail time.

Dale Allan Cousins pleaded guilty in the Southport Magistrates Court on Thursday to public nuisance and failing to leave a licenced premises.

Police were called to Waxy’s Irish Pub staff about 7.15pm on December 22 last year after Cousins, 20, was asked to leave for “disorderly behaviour” about 7pm.

He returned five minutes later.

Police prosecutor Senior Constable Kimberly Murphy said: “The defendant refused to leave. Security escorted him off the premises.”

Cousins returned for a third time – this time climbing through the window.

“At which point (Cousins) ran towards and crash-tackled a security guard. (He) punched the security guard in the face with a closed fist,” Sen. Constable Murphy said.

No assault complaint was made.

Cousins was on a suspended sentence, community service order and probation term for unrelated offending.

Sen. Constable Murphy said the violent nature of the offence and Cousin’s noncompliance with police were aggravating factors.

Cousins’ solicitor Ashkan Tai, of Ashkan Tai Lawyers, said: “My client has really put himself in a difficult position.”

“But this is only one offence in breach of the probation – and there’s no assault charges.”

Mr Tai said that Cousins’ actions were a result of a “lack of guidance growing up” and a “difficult upbringing”.

After his parents split, Cousins lived permanently with his father who told Cousins’ his mother had “abandoned” him, the court was told.

He said Cousins was currently unemployed but working with Mission Australia in an attempt to find work.

Magistrate Louisa Pink said Cousins’ repeat offending was a “serious” concern.

“This has happened against a backdrop of a two-page criminal history, which is serious for someone who is only 20 years of age,” she said.

She sentenced him to two months’ prison to be wholly suspended for six months.

Magistrate Pink did not activate the previous suspended sentence.

“The purpose of this is to stop you from doing this again,” Magistrate Pink said.

“If you make no changes in what you are doing … you’re heading straight towards imprisonment.”