Adam David Roberts sentenced for public nuisance and obstruct police

A dive instructor drunk on vodka and shots has called a police officer a “dog” before resisting his own arrest claiming tourism operators could not refuse drinks with clients as it would be bad for tourism.

Adam David Roberts faced Proserpine Magistrates Court on June 3, 2024.

A dive instructor drunk on vodka who called a police officer a “dog” and “fag**t” as they arrested two others resisted his own arrest a court heard claiming tourism operators had to take their clients out for drinks after boats tours.

Adam David Roberts, 21, went on a wild night out with clients after they came back to Airlie Beach from a dive tour on April 2.

The party had started at popular restaurant Boaties around 6pm, before taking it to nightclub Mama Africa’s after 9pm, where Roberts had multiple drinks.

Police Prosecutor Emma Myors told the court Roberts had started yelling at police outside the nightclub as they were arresting two others and taking them in the car before 12.30am.

Ms Myors said Roberts had started “undoing a chain and latch” which was securing the other person in the police car.

The court heard police physically prevented him from doing it and arrested him as well.

When officers tried to close the door of their vehicle, Roberts had resisted it, trying to get his arm back out of the car multiple times, preventing officers from closing the door.

Solicitor John Ryan told the court Roberts had gone out for drinks with clients in what was the “unofficial duty” of tourism operators to accompany clients for drinks and get free drinks themselves.

Mr Ryan said while this was not a defence, this provided “context” to the events.

He also told the court this was a youthful error that had not happened before as Roberts had no history.

Magistrate Athol Kennedy addressed Roberts directly and asked him what he drank on that night.

Roberts responded he had mostly consumed vodka mixes and tequila but that he could not remember how many.

He also told Mr Kennedy all the drinks he had consumed were drinks he was able to get for free.

“Realistically, if you drink so much and you don’t know what you are doing, then you are a fool. Is that fair enough?” Mr Kennedy asked him.

Roberts pleaded guilty to being a public nuisance and to obstructing police in the vicinity of licenced premises in front of the Proserpine Magistrates Court.

He was sentenced to 40 hours of community service.

Convictions were not recorded.

Originally published as Adam David Roberts sentenced for public nuisance and obstruct police