Shaun Stephen Daley: Gold Coast dad throat-punches cop with ‘amputated stump’ of arm

A Coast man unleashed a series of bizarre, booze-fuelled assaults on police and the wider community in just a few weeks. Read the details here.

Shaun Stephen Daley. Picture: Facebook/Shaun Daley

A man used the “amputated stump” of his arm to throat-punch a police officer amid a series of bizarre assaults across the Gold Coast.

Shaun Stephen Daley was first asked by a security guard to leave The Strand at Coolangatta on June 26 after he was seen being aggressive towards staff and customers.

Southport Magistrates Court heard the 43-year-old said, “Come on, fight me,” and then punched the security guard in the face.

Police prosecutor Mary Witham said the victim’s nose was badly broken, with doctors still to determine whether he would need surgery to correct it.

“The victim’s nose was dripping with blood and blood soaked into his shirt, and (he) was rattled and unable to communicate effectively with police,” Sen Constable Witham said.

Officers were called to another disturbance in a Burleigh park the next day, where witnesses had reported Daley kicking walls and yelling at birds.

Shaun Stephen Daley. Picture: Facebook/Shaun Daley

Sen Const. Witham said police tried to arrest Daley, who was breaching his bail conditions by being there, but he became violent without warning.

“He struck (the detective) in the throat with his amputated stump,” she said.

“He then used his complete arm to strike (the officer) in the right side of his head, causing him to stumble backwards.”

The court was told Daley resisted arrest so violently that it took four officers to restrain him and carry him to the police vehicle.

The primary victim from this incident suffered pain and bruising to his throat.

It was less than a week later that Daley had another bizarre run-in with police, this time after he was spotted shadow-boxing aggressively in a 7/11 carpark at Broadbeach.

Sen Const. Witham said an officer asked Daley whether he was OK, to which he responded “I’m not your f**king mate” and unleashed a tirade of abuse.

She said Daley again had to be physically taken to the police car, and he spat several times on glass inside the vehicle.

The court heard Daley stole small amounts of alcohol and failed to appear in court on numerous occasions near the time of these incidents.

He was finally taken into custody on July 26, after police were called to break up a group of people who were drinking and playing loud music near the Burleigh Heads Surf Lifesaving Club.

Sen Const. Witham said Daley ignored police orders for him to stop walking and was grabbed on the arm by one officer.

She said Daley swung around and struck the officer several times on the hand and forearm with his partly amputated arm.

Daley appeared in court via videolink from jail, where he had spent 134 days in pre-sentence custody.

Defence lawyer Daniel McShane said his client had part of one arm amputated in 2011 after falling through a glass window, and had been largely unable to work since.

He said a relationship breakdown near the same time had sent Daley spiralling into alcoholism.

“It’s an addiction that unfortunately still plagues him today,” Mr McShane said.

“While (the assault on police) is serious, it’s certainly a lot less serious than the assault occasioning bodily harm on the security officer.”

Mr McShane said Daley had used his time in custody to “dry out” and was hoping to move away from the Gold Coast and rebuild his relationship with his sons, aged 10 and 12.

Daley pleaded guilty to 12 charges including serious assault of police, assault occasioning bodily harm, obstructing police, and public nuisance.

He was sentenced to 12 months’ jail with his 134 days in pre-sentence custody deducted and immediate release on parole.

Daley was also ordered to pay $1000 in compensation to the security officer and another $250 to the first police officer he assaulted.