More charges laid in relation to Holloways Beach street brawl
Less than two months out from the state election the LNP’s Far North regional chair has stepped down from his role after being charged over a Holloways Beach street brawl earlier this year.
Cairns
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A former Barron River MP has been charged with serious offences over his involvement in a street fight in Far North Queensland earlier this year.
A long-running investigation into May disturbances concluded on Wednesday, with Michael Trout charged with two offences.
Detectives from the Smithfield Criminal Investigation Branch charged the 60-year-old Holloways Beach man following an alleged assault in Holloways Beach on May 17.
Police were initially called to keep the peace during a community intervention involving a group of about 25 neighbours who came together in a stand against teens stealing from backyards.
Simmering tensions relating to youth crime in the area reached boiling point later in the evening and officers were called back to the trouble spot at 9.30pm.
“We have had a gutful, the whole neighbourhood has a gutful,” Mr Trout said at the time.
The alleged violence resulted in a man hospitalised with injuries to his arms and a 15-year-old Mooroobool boy being charged with one count of going armed so as to cause fear.
A 47-year-old Holloways Beach man, who was not Mr Trout, was charged at the time with one count of going armed so as to cause fear.
And on July 18, a 66-year-old Holloways Beach man was also charged with one count of going armed to cause fear.
He appeared in the Cairns Magistrates Court on August 8.
The latest round of charges to come from the suburban fracas this week resulted in Mr Trout being charged with two counts of assault occasioning bodily harm and one count of unlawful stalking.
A plea to the charges has yet to be been entered.
The former Liberal National politician was elected to the seat of Barron River in 2012.
He served one term as a state MP before losing the next election to Labor’s current member Craig Crawford.
Since then he has remained active within the Far North branch of the party, most recently holding the position of regional chair.
The charges come less than two months out from the state election.
Mr Trout has stepped down from this role while the matter progresses through the courts, according to the party.
Efforts to contact LNP Barron River candidate Bree James have been unsuccessful.
Cairns LNP candidate Yolonde Entsch declined to comment on allegations made against Mr Trout.
As reported by the Cairns Post in May, photos of Mr Trout show his bloodied face and a black eye claimed to have been inflicted when he was whacked in the head with a shovel, which also caused him to lose consciousness.
Mr Trout was issued with a notice to appear in the Cairns Magistrates Court on September 16.
He was contacted for comment however could not be reached before publication.
Originally published as More charges laid in relation to Holloways Beach street brawl
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