Jye Dylan Thorley in court for assault, driving without due care

A fly-in fly-out worker whose ‘wacky dance’ was misinterpreted by another pub patron has fronted court after the incident led to a violent altercation.

Jye Dylan Thorley in court for assault, driving without due care

A Kingaroy concreter described as “level-headed” has pleaded guilty to assault after a misinterpreted dance gesture at a nightclub led to an altercation that left another man seriously injured.

Jye Dylan Thorley, 27, faced Kingaroy Magistrates Court on Monday, June 17, on charges of assault occasioning bodily harm, drink driving and driving without due care.

The court heard on January 29, 2023 at about 12.10am, Thorley and other guests from his cousin’s wedding went to Paddy’s Shenanigans Irish Bar in Airlie Beach.

Police prosecutor Lisa Manns said Thorley was dancing with friends and “holding up his middle finger on both hands”.

The court heard Thorley and his friend had a “wacky tradition” where they would dance around each other while giving the middle finger to the other person.

Another man at the venue approached Thorley, thinking the gesture was aimed at him, she said.

“A short time later the defendant approached the victim, the defendant pats the victim on the chest then elbows the victim in the face.”

Jye Dylan Thorley walking with a lawyer at Kingaroy Magistrates Court.

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“That strike causes the victim to fall to the ground where he struck his head on the floor.”

The court heard Thorley left the nightclub before the victim was taken to hospital.

“He underwent CT scans before having a large laceration on the back of his head glued and stapled,” Sgt Manns said.

“He suffered bruising and swelling to his right elbow and suffered numbness in his hands and severe headaches.”

The court heard the victim was unable to return to his job for a “few weeks” due to the injuries.

Jye Dylan Thorley in court for assault, driving without due care

Thorley’s lawyer Sonja Stevens told the court Thorley was a concreter who did FIFO contract work for mines around Australia.

She said when not working at the mines he worked for local South Burnett businesses.

References by two of Thorley’s employers described him as “level-headed” and a “hard worker”.

They said Thorley wasn’t someone known to resort to violence and the assault charge was “out of character”.

Ms Stevens said Thorley had since completed an anger management course.

“He is remorseful … he offered to pay $3000 in compensation which I currently hold in a trust account,” she said.

Ms Stevens asked the magistrate to not record a conviction for the assault due to the impact it would have on Thorley’s employment.

The court also heard Thorley had a “total ban” from Queensland nightclubs for six months and was denied entry into a nightclub in Brisbane as a result.

Jye Dylan Thorley at Kingaroy Magistrates Court

In a separate matter, the court heard in December 2023, almost a year after the nightclub incident, Thorley crashed his Toyota Hilux on Coolabunia Drive in Coolabunia.

Sgt Manns said the ute was “resting on its roof with extensive damage”.

“The defendant told police that he and his friends had been drinking at a nearby residence and were driving home when he dropped his wheels off the road which he was then unable to regain control before crashing,” Sgt Manns said.

The court heard Thorley blew .097 on a breath test.

Magistrate Andrew Sinclair praised Thorley for the steps taken following the nightclub event by putting himself through an anger management course and the offer of $3000 compensation to the victim.

Thorley was placed on 18 months probation and ordered to pay the $3000 compensation to the victim.

He was also disqualified from driving for six months.

No conviction was recorded for the assault but convictions were recorded for the drink driving and driving without due care charges.

Originally published as Jye Dylan Thorley in court for assault, driving without due care