Harry James Tombs: ‘Terrified’ rugby player high on LSD assaults ambulance officer and bites police
Emergency responders were helping a rugby league layer high “on another planet”, only to be bitten and assaulted for their efforts, a court has heard.
A club-level rugby league player bit a police officer and assaulted an ambulance officer while on a terrifying drug trip, a court has heard.
Harry James Tombs, 25, pleaded guilty in the Southport Magistrates Court on Wednesday to one count each of serious assault police officer by biting and serious assault public officer performing their function.
The court heard Tombs had been found in Broadwater Parklands, Southport in a severely drug affected state on the night of May 4.
Police and ambulance were called to the scene with Tombs kicking out, damaging a Queensland Ambulance Service officer’s prescription glasses while being placed in the ambulance.
Officers told Tombs he was safe and not under threat, however he continued to resist and had to be restrained to prevent injury to himself and others.
When a police officer attempted to calm him, Tombs bit the officer’s left forearm before being sedated.
Tombs was taken to Gold Coast University Hospital where he had to be sedated a second time after becoming aggressive and requiring the intervention of multiple security staff.
Barrister Elliot Boddice, instructed by Fisher Dore Lawyers, told the court his client, who has played rugby league for the Toowoomba Valley Roosters and the Fortitude Valley Diehards, had taken LSD and was effectively “on another planet”.
Mr Boddice said the police body worn footage of the incident captured the victim police officer after he was bitten telling another officer that he didn’t “want to challenge” Tombs.
“This kid doesn’t know what he’s doing,” the court heard the officer say about Tombs.
Mr Boddice said footage showed Mr Tombs was “utterly terrified” and was now extremely remorseful, offering to pay up to $1700 compensation to the police officer.
“He might have been terrified … but it would be fair to assume that if not terrifying, it would have been an extremely difficult situation for police and ambulance officers to manage,” Acting Magistrate Steve Wettenhall said, noting Tomb’s height was over 6ft.
Mr Boddice said Tombs, who has provided personal training services to trouble youths and people with disabilities, was studying to become a personal trainer following a career in civil construction.
The court heard Tombs had a similar offence on his criminal record from September 2023 where he was sentenced to community service over two counts of common assault in a public place while affected by an intoxicating substance.
Mr Boddice said Tombs had not breached the community service order at the time and had not reoffended in 20 months until the incident at Southport.
Mr Wettenhall said these types of offences happen too frequently and noted Tomb’s drug use didn’t excuse his conduct in any way.
“The people that came to your assistance that night showed restraint, judgement, care and compassion,” he said.
“And for that one of them got bitten and the other got hit.”
Mr Wettenhall said it was “particularly galling” for the officers but noted if the police officer could recognise Tombs was acting without intent or malice, so should the court.
He accepted Tombs was genuinely remorseful and was addressing the issues which caused him to behave this way.
Tombs was sentenced to a 24-month probation order with conditions including he report to Maroochydore and undergo drug testing.
He was also ordered perform 120 hours of community service, pay $800 restitution for the damaged glasses and pay the police officer $1500 in compensation.
No conviction was recorded.
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Originally published as Harry James Tombs: ‘Terrified’ rugby player high on LSD assaults ambulance officer and bites police
