Jeffrey Allan Wortley pleads guilty in Roma Magistrates Court to obstructing a police officer, public nuisance

Undercover police claimed a man was using drugs in a Roma pub bathroom, which he staunchly denied. What he did next landed him in a courtroom.

Jeffrey Allan Wortley pleaded guilty in Roma Magistrates Court to obstructing a police officer aggravated by alcohol and public nuisance.

An extremely intoxicated Newcastle man asked to leave a popular Roma pub has landed in court for his disorderly behaviour, after he denied using drugs in the bathroom.

Jeffrey Allan Wortley pleaded guilty in Roma Magistrates Court to obstructing a police officer aggravated by alcohol and public nuisance.

Police prosecutor Mathew Donnelly said two undercover police officers allegedly spotted Wortley and another man using drugs in the venue’s bathroom.

When confronted by police, Wortley strongly denied the accusations and began filming the officers.

The court was told the defendant tried to walk past the officers towards the witness, with police having to physically block him.

Mr Donnelly said the defendant stood right in front of cops and screamed his address in their face after they asked him to leave.

Police issued a breath test with results showing a high level reading of .204 blood alcohol concentration.

Defence lawyer Laurie Parker said his client wasn’t using drugs and one of the officers threatened violence.

“He was trying to tell the police his story of what happened,” he said.

Magistrate Shane Elliott convicted and not further punished Wortley for the public nuisance offence, and handed him a mandatory 40 hour community service order for the obstructing a police officer while intoxicated offence.

Convictions were recorded.

Originally published as Jeffrey Allan Wortley pleads guilty in Roma Magistrates Court to obstructing a police officer, public nuisance