Gibb Rowin Sterland pleaded guilty to public nuisance

Banned from a pub, a drunk apprentice roofer tried to go in anyway and didn’t take kindly to being booted again.

Gibb Rowin Sterland, 21, pleaded guilty to public nuisance, trespassing and possessing a dangerous drugs when he faced Hervey Bay Magistrates Court on Thursday.

A drunk roofer turned up at hotel from which he’d been banned and after being evicted, threatened to get people to shoot the security guard in the leg.

Gibb Rowin Sterland, 21, pleaded guilty in Hervey Bay Magistrates Court on Thursday to public nuisance, trespassing and possessing a dangerous drug.

The court heard the incident happened on July 12, 2025 at the Torquay Hotel just after midnight.

Sterland was removed by staff but then made threats towards them, including saying he would get people to attend the hotel and “shoot” the security guard in the leg.

He also threatened to assault the security guard, the court was told.

Police attended and spoke to the security guard, who appeared to be “clearly shaken” by the threats.

The court heard Sterland had attended the hotel a week before and had received a ban notice by staff.

When he was taken to the watch-house, he was searched a clipseal bag believed to contain cocaine was located in his pocket.

The weight was 0.4 grams and a presumptive test indicated it was cocaine.

Defence lawyer Virgina Ukpabi said her client had completed a three-year apprenticeship in roofing and had never been in trouble before.

He also did a lot of work in the community assisting elderly people voluntarily, she said.

“So, he is otherwise someone of good character.”

Sterland had been intoxicated at the time of the offending and deeply regretted it, Ms Ukpabi said.

Magistrate Trinity McGarvie said it was a serious threat of violence that he’d made towards the security guard.

“He’s got a really difficult job trying to make sure patrons at the Torquay Hotel feel safe there.

“For someone to turn up, who had already been banned, and then threaten to get people to come and shoot him, that behaviour is completely unacceptable and it obviously makes him feel scared and that is not appropriate at all.

“He’s at his workplace trying to make sure people are safe when they are enjoying their time out in the community.”

But Ms McGarvie accepted it was outside of Sterland’s normal behaviour.

Sterland was fined $900 and no convictions were recorded.

Originally published as Gibb Rowin Sterland pleaded guilty to public nuisance