Duty manager attacked in vicious Central Queensland bar brawl

A court has heard graphic details about how a couple violently bashed a duty manager at a Central Queensland hotel, putting him in hospital.

Jorja Lorelle Jean Dwyer and (inset) Jaiden Michael Wessling.

A couple who violently attacked a duty manager at a Central Queensland hotel have been given suspended jail terms.

Jaiden Michael Wessling, 22, and Jorja Lorelle Jean Dwyer, 21, pleaded guilty in Biloela Magistrates Court to assault occasioning bodily harm in company.

Police prosecutor Jennifer Leach said the victim was a male duty manager, aged in his 50s, at Moura’s Coal ‘n’ Cattle Hotel.

Ms Leach said about 10.30pm on February 27, police were called about a disturbance at the hotel where the employee had been assaulted.

The court heard that when police arrived, an ambulance was already at the venue and the duty manager was on a stretcher with “several visible injuries to his head and face”.

“Police spoke briefly with the victim prior to him being transported to the Moura Hospital for treatment,” Ms Leach said.

Ms Leach said the duty manager told police that he had been working in the bar when Dwyer assaulted another male patron.

The prosecutor said the duty manager attempted to remove Dwyer from the venue when she assaulted him.

There was a scuffle and the duty manager sustained injuries to his face and mouth, Ms Leach said.

Ms Leach said once Dwyer was removed from the hotel, she was told to leave.

The prosecutor said Dwyer re-entered the bar area and “engaged in another scuffle” with the duty manager in which she punched him in the head.

“The victim was unable to remember much more about the incident,” Ms Leach said.

Jorja Lorelle Jean Dwyer and (inset) Jaiden Michael Wessling.

Ms Leach said police spoke with staff at the hotel and officers saw “a large amount of blood on the floor beside the main bar area.”

“Police took a series of photographs of these pools of blood,” Ms Leach said.

The prosecutor said police viewed CCTV footage which showed that after the duty manager tried to escort Dwyer out of the venue, Wessling attempted to intervene in the scuffle.

Ms Leach said after Dwyer re-entered the hotel and got into the second scuffle with the duty manager, Wessling also re-entered and punched the victim to the head and face “numerous times”.

The court heard that the duty manager’s injuries included facial lacerations, scratches, abrasions and a right pupil injury, and after being taken to Moura Hospital he had to be transferred to a Rockhampton hospital.

It was told that Wessling had a criminal history but Dwyer did not.

Before solicitor Richard Parks made submissions for Wessling and Dwyer, Magistrate Philippa Beckinsale said she wanted both of the defendants to view the photographs of the victim’s injuries.

Mr Parks said Wessling was not working due to an ACL injury and he and Dwyer, who was studying child care, had been in a relationship for 12 months.

The solicitor said Wessling and Dwyer were not intoxicated on the night of the incident and Dwyer had “lost her cool” at the male pub patron who had made comments.

The couple was sentenced in Rockhampton Magistrates Court last week.

Wessling received nine months’ jail suspended for 18 months and he was ordered to pay $600 compensation to the victim.

Dwyer was sentenced to six months’ jail suspended for 12 months and she was ordered to pay $400 compensation to the victim.

Both had convictions recorded.

Originally published as Duty manager attacked in vicious Central Queensland bar brawl