Bradley, Jack, Lance Cameron face Mackay court over cane, cattle farm fight

A family of miners and cattle graziers have wound up in court after having beef with a contractor who repeatedly damaged their barb-wire fence. See how it all unfolded.

Brothers Lance Robert Cameron and Jack Bradley Cameron both faced Mackay Magistrates Court on Tuesday, May 28, 2024. Picture: Heidi Petith

A family of miners have wound up in court after having beef with a contractor who repeatedly damaged their barb-wire fence.

Bradley James Allan Cameron and his sons, Jack Bradley Cameron and Lance Robert Cameron, wore matching pressed white shirts as they fronted court on Tuesday over the December 4 incident.

Police prosecutor Acting Sergeant Matthew Thompson told Mackay Magistrates Court the Camerons were friendly with their neighbouring cane farmer but had issues with Andrew Walker, a contractor hired to slash grass next to the fence line.

The court heard the Camerons, who owned 300 head of cattle on a property along Stoney Creek Rd in Eton west of Mackay, had not for the first time discovered the slasher had damaged the fence and so reported it to their neighbour.

When Mr Walker accompanied the neighbour down to the fence line, he, Bradley and Jack got into a “heated” argument and Jack, who was holding a maddock to repair a bent star picket, crossed onto the neighbour’s property.

“(It) ultimately developed into a physical fight with fists being thrown back and forth between the parties … Mr Walker was knocked to the ground at which point, the defendant Jack Cameron has kicked him in the torso area,” Sergeant Thompson said.

Brothers Lance Robert Cameron (left) and Jack Bradley Cameron (right) both faced Mackay Magistrates Court on Tuesday, May 28, 2024. Picture: Heidi Petith

The court heard a formal complaint was made to police the next day.

Jack, 19, pleaded guilty to assault occasioning bodily harm and both he and his father pleaded guilty to entering land that was in peaceful possession in a manner likely to cause reasonable fear of unlawful violence to a person.

The court heard Lance was also charged with assault but the charge was later dropped as there was no evidence he had been there.

Barrister Martin Longhurst, instructed by Gatenby Law, said the Camerons’ “big gripe” was Mr Walker did not tell anyone when he damaged the fence which put the cattle at risk of escaping and being hurt by pests, snakes, pipes and pitfalls.

Mr Longhurst said the “poor” cane farmer had become “caught in the middle” of a poorly handled altercation and had given his own account of the incident which was a “far more uncoloured version” than that of Mr Walker’s.

He added it was not easy for Jack, who had very limited criminal history, to witness his 46-year-old father in a “scrap” but he immediately stopped when his dad said, “Oi, that’s enough”.

Bradley James Allan Cameron (right), with sons Jack Bradley Cameron (left) and Lance Robert Cameron (right), all faced Mackay Magistrates Court on Tuesday, May 28, 2024. Picture: Heidi Petith

Both Camerons offered to pay $1000 each in compensation to Mr Walker and abide by a no contact order, with Jack also writing an apology.

Lawyer Michael Gatenby said Bradley was “obviously embarrassed” and his wife, who was in court for support, had reproached him and Jack for their behaviour.

Mr Gatenby said Bradley rang his neighbour the day after the fight to apologise, both remained on good terms, and Mr Walker no longer worked at the farm.

Magistrate Bronwyn Hartigan said it did appear Mr Walker had “embellished his account” of the altercation, the neighbour was an “innocent bystander”, and the Camerons’ actions were “out of character” with Bradley’s employer in disbelief.

Ms Hartigan said given the highly contextual circumstances of the incident, and Bradley’s “impeccable character”, she would “release him absolutely”.

She fined Jack $500 for each charge, and both father and son must $1000 each to Mr Walker.

No convictions were recorded.

The court also heard Jack was facing a charge of committing an act intended to cause grievous bodily harm or transmit serious disease and Lance, 22, was charged with visually recording a woman’s genitalia without her consent at Moranbah on an unknown date between November 1, 2022 and April 23, 2023.

Mr Gatenby said he would like to send a submission about the “proficiency of the prosecution’s case” against Jack.

Ms Hartigan adjourned the matter to June 25 and enlarged Jack’s bail.

She also ordered that Lance’s trial date of July 10 be delisted to allow the defence team more time to review the brief of evidence.

Originally published as Bradley, Jack, Lance Cameron face Mackay court over cane, cattle farm fight