Gold Coast Crime: Richard James Brown tasered after attacked Broadbeach police car with metal stand

A Gold Coast forklift driver tasered by police after a “disgraceful” attack on a police car has described the experience as “unpleasant”.

A FORKLIFT driver attacked a police car with a metal menu stand, smashing the window leaving officers covered in glass.

Police were only able to stop Richard James Brown by tasering him as he headed towards the mall in Broadbeach on February 10 last year.

Brown - whose lawyer said was having a psychotic episode - described being tasered as an “unpleasant experience”.

Brown is seen leaving Southport Magistrates Court on the Gold Coast. Photo: Lea Emery

He pleaded guilty in the Southport Magistrates Court for multiple charges including serious assault of police and wilful damage of a police property.

The court was told on Wednesday that Brown’s rampage caused more than $7000 damage to the police car.

Magistrate Grace Kahlert sentenced Brown to head sentence of six months prison with immediate release on parole.

“You should be remorseful – it was disgraceful offending,” Magistrate Kahlert told Brown.

“It would have been a terrifying experience for the police officers sitting in that driver’s seat.”

Brown had spent two months in custody after the incident.

Prosecutor Chris Freeman said Brown swung the menu stand at the police car while in Broadbeach.

He said police drew the taser when he refused to stop. Brown was headed towards the Broadbeach mall where there was a number of people.

Defence lawyer Danielle Heable, of Dib & Associates, said Brown was in the midst of a psychotic episode at the time of the incident.

Brown is seen leaving Southport Magistrates Court on the Gold Coast. Photo: Lea Emery

“The conduct is unusual, completely random incident and he was tasered which he instructs was a very unpleasant experience for him,” she said.

At the time Brown was unemployed and homeless.

Ms Heable said Brown was now medicated, seeing his doctors and had work as a forklift driver.

She tendered to the court a letter of remorse from Brown.

Brown said outside of court: “It was disgraceful and I apologise for my actions.”