Owen Andrew Dendle in court for Rockhampton pub assault

A young man whose ‘showing off’ resulted in the death of a teen was in court for breaching the suspended sentence he received for the 2021 conviction.

Owen Dendle

A young man whose ‘showing off’ resulted in the death of a Capricorn Coast teenager was back in court this week for breaching the suspended sentence he received for the dangerous operation of a motor vehicle conviction in 2021.

Owen Andrew Dendle was 18 years old when he was sentenced to 4.5 years prison, suspended after serving 12 months, for his role in the death of St Brendan's College Year 11 student Rhys Yore.

St Brendan's College Year 11 student Rhys Yore died in a single-vehicle accident in Yeppoon.

Rhys, 16, was an unrestrained passenger in Dendle’s car on January 21, 2021, when Dendle’s excessive speeding and driving over double lines saw the vehicle crash on Apple Drive in Yeppoon, throwing Rhys from the car and killing him.

A memorial has been set up at the scene of the Yeppoon car crash which claimed the life of St Brendan's College student Rhys Yore.

Dendle admitted to being the driver and excessively speeding when talking to emergency services at the scene.

The now 20-year-old was back in Rockhampton District Court on Tuesday, November 21, 2023, for breaching the suspended sentence after he plead guilty to one count of public nuisance on August 24.

Defence lawyer Grant Cagney said Dendle and his uncle were at The Lionleigh Pub in Rockhampton and tried to intervene in a domestic incident, telling the male to stop assaulting his partner.

He said after the male knocked his partner out with a punch, he then launched at Dendle and his uncle.

The court heard both Dendle and his uncle threw punches but missed.

“They didn’t know the male,” Mr Cagney said.

“They intervened to assist the lady.”

He said his client had worked in various jobs since being released from prison and had tried to stay out of trouble.

Mr Cagney said Dendle planned to just work and go home from now on to avoid trouble.

Dendle pleaded guilty in Rockhampton Magistrates Court to one count of public nuisance and was fined $850 with no conviction recorded.

Judge Jeff Clarke, today, found Dendle breached the suspended sentence and ordered him to the rising of the court – meaning facing the district court for the breach was sufficient punishment.

Originally published as Owen Andrew Dendle in court for Rockhampton pub assault