Ascot Hotel owner, nurse and police assaulted by Robert Leslie Moore

A man who assaulted a well-known Central Queensland publican twice went on to spit at two people and ripped out cords and tubes at the hospital, causing his infected blood to spurt across the room.

A man assaulted a publican, police and a nurse.

A man who assaulted a well-known Central Queensland publican twice, went on to spit at two people and ripped out cords and tubes at the hospital, causing his infected blood to spurt across the room.

Robert Leslie Moore, 53, pleaded guilty on December 19 in Rockhampton Magistrates Court to two counts of assaulting a person aged over 60, one each of stealing, public nuisance in a licensed premise, assaulting a public officer, disorderly conduct, obstructing a police officer and assaulting a police officer.

Defence lawyer Brendan Gimbert said the assaults of the person aged over 60 were on Ascot Hotel owner Will Cordwell.

The court heard Moore jumped over the bar and attacked Mr Cordwell in the first instance and then threw bottles of alcohol at Mr Cordwell, hitting his hand and shoulder.

“The offending has occurred while he was heavily intoxicated,” Mr Gimbert said.

“I believe there were some scratches on (Mr Cordwell’s) arms.

“The throwing of the bottles have hit his shoulder that caused no damage other than the shooting pain, discomfort and maybe bruising.”

Will Cordwell of the Ascot Hotel.

Police prosecutor Courtney Brown said the public nuisance and assaults on Mr Cordwell took place as Moore stole alcohol from the licensed premises.

She said when confronted by police, Moore kicked his legs and feet out, hitting one of the officers, causing pain and then at the watch-house, he spat at another officer.

Ms Brown said Moore was later disorderly at the hospital where he ripped “out his cords and tubes, causing blood to be discharged”.

She said his conduct was “aggravated by the fact the defendant had been diagnosed with hepatitis C”.

Mr Gimbert said the assault of the public officer was when Moore spat at a nurse at Rockhampton Hospital with the spit landing at the end of the bed.

He didn’t know at that time he had hepatitis C.

He said his client, who has no family support, was anxious at the time about being homeless.

The court heard Moore had carried out similar offending in 2014.

Mr Gimbert said there was an eight-year period between offending.

“The homelessness has led to the drinking and the drinking has led to the offending,” he said.

Magistrate Grace Kahlert described Moore’s actions as “filthy, dirty and disgusting” and sentenced him to 12-months prison, declared 71 days presentence custody and set parole release on February 9, 2023.

Originally published as Ascot Hotel owner, nurse and police assaulted by Robert Leslie Moore