Gas bottle sniffer posed threat to Gold Coast surf club, Cleveland shoppers, court told

An explosives expert will be called in to give evidence after a court heard a man’s actions with gas bottles across southeast Queensland posed a “significant risk” to the community.

Coolangatta SLSC Picture: Glenn Hampson

A Queensland man accused of repeatedly stealing gas bottles and inhaling the contents in public could have caused an explosion large enough to blast through a popular surf lifesaving club, a court has been heard.

Cleveland Magistrates Court was told on Tuesday that Joshua Doyle, 37, was found inhaling from stolen 8.5kg and 9kg LPG bottles in several populated locations.

The court heard that one of the places was outside the Coolangatta Surf Life Saving Club on the Easter long weekend, where 200 people were inside, with another place in bushes in front of the luxury Endota Spa on Bloomfield St in Cleveland.

Magistrate Deborah Vasta said she had been told Mr Doyle’s actions could potentially blow a 10m hole around him, and called for an explosives expert to assess the true level of risk before deciding on a sentence.

“If this is as dangerous as I’ve been told, which is you’re going to blow a 10m hole around you — I think once you’re sniffing in the garden of a petrol station, really dangerous,” she said.

“But I am going to get an expert, an explosives expert, to explain.”

The court was told the prosecution was sourcing an explosives expert to assess the potential risk posed by public gas inhalation.

Mr Doyle, who has now spent 30 days in custody on remand and appeared via video link, pleaded guilty to nine charges, including seven counts of common nuisance and two counts of unlawful possession of suspected stolen property.

Police were called to Bloomfield St, Cleveland after concerns a man was sniffing gas from gas bottles.

The court heard one of the most serious incidents occurred at Marine Pde, Coolangatta, where Mr Doyle was found by police lying in a garden bed clutching a gas bottle near the surf club, while fumes wafted into a neighbouring property owned by the RSL.

The odour of gas was reportedly detectable from 40m away.

The court also heard another incident took place on Surf Pde at Broadbeach, where Mr Doyle was found inhaling gas from a bottle in a garden bed outside the Savannah Hotel and Resort.

In Cleveland, police said he was found yelling and swearing in bushes outside Endota Spa while inhaling gas from a suspected stolen gas bottle.

Police also alleged that he stole gas bottles from a service station in Redland Bay and then took them across the road to a public park to sniff.

A police prosecutor told the court Mr Doyle posed a serious ongoing threat to the community.

“He’s placed the community at significant risk with gas bottles in public locations,” she said.

“This is someone going from one end of the southeast coast to the other with explosives in the middle of public places.”

The court also heard Mr Doyle had a lengthy criminal history of similar offending, with 47 previous convictions since 2017, primarily involving common nuisance offences and gas inhalation in public.

In one instance, he was found with four gas bottles at once.

Mr Doyle’s defence lawyer acknowledged the seriousness of her client’s behaviour but said 30 days in custody had given him time to “dry out”.

She said Mr Doyle needed supervision and support, not just further incarceration, and proposed bail conditions involving drug counselling and treatment.

Magistrate Vasta described the case as deeply troubling.

“It’s a horrific addiction … Normally people who are drug addicts are really only hurting themselves, but in your situation the type of addiction you have is apparently putting people’s lives at risk,” she said.

The magistrate said she had previously supported Mr Doyle’s referral to the Drug and Alcohol Court, but questioned what sentencing options were now left.

“You’re just on a hamster wheel … We take you off the wheel and put you in custody, but when we release you, you get straight back on,” she told him.

Mr Doyle did not apply for bail and will remain in custody until his next court date.

The magistrate urged that expert advice on the explosive risk of his behaviour be obtained prior to sentencing.

His sentencing hearing was adjourned to June 16 for a long plea.

Originally published as Gas bottle sniffer posed threat to Gold Coast surf club, Cleveland shoppers, court told