Owen Jack Joseph Turnbull pleads guilty in Roma Magistrates Court to damaging property while in custody

A court has been told boredom was what led a Cunnamulla man to damage part of the exercise yard at the Roma watch-house.

A Cunnamulla man with an extensive eight page history appeared in court for damaging police property while in custody for other charges.

Owen Jack Joseph Turnbull pleaded guilty in Roma Magistrates Court to wilfully and unlawfully damaging property.

Police prosecutions told the court that on January 27 at 10.30am, Turbull was observed via cameras in the exercise yard of the Roma watch-house damaging the cell door.

The court heard he used a five cent coin to scratch the door while he was being remanded for grievous bodily harm, wilful damage, fail to appear and contravene direction charges allegedly committed in Cunnamulla.

Turnbull blamed his actions in the watch-house on boredom.

Magistrate Shane Elliott said he acknowledged Turnbull was still waiting for the alleged charges in Cunnamulla to be heard in court, so in this instance he was convicted and not further punished.

Originally published as Owen Jack Joseph Turnbull pleads guilty in Roma Magistrates Court to damaging property while in custody