Junior Aukamu Aukopi, 35, pleads guilty in Gatton Magistrates Court to public nuisance, contravening a police direction and obstructing police

A man’s decision to bring his own bourbon to a pub wasn’t the only poor choice he made, with a court told he went on to hassle people for cigarettes before wrangling with police.

Junior Aukamu Aukopi, 35, pleaded guilty to public nuisance, obstructing police and contravening their requirement in Gatton Magistrates Court on June 17.

A daytime session at the pub landed a Gatton man in court after his BYO effort saw him kicked out for annoying patrons, only to begin heckling members of the public outside the local IGA.

Junior Aukamu Aukopi, 35, pleaded guilty in Gatton Magistrates Court to one count each of public nuisance and contravene a police direction, and two counts of obstruct police in a public place while adversely affected.

The court was told about 12pm on May 16 while at the Royal Hotel with a male friend, Aukopi had brought in a one litre bottle of Jim Beam and was consuming the alcohol while pestering other patrons in the gaming lounge.

After receiving complaints about his behaviour, security approached Aukopi and asked him to leave the premises.

Police prosecutor Sergeant Natalie Bugden told the court after leaving the pub Aukopi walked to the nearby Gatton IGA where he sat outside heckling passers-by and asking to bum a cigarette.

Police were called to the IGA where they observed the 35-year-old to be clearly intoxicated and making a poor attempt to conceal the open bottle of bourbon in his jacket.

Sergeant Bugden said officers asked Aukopi to hand over the bottle to which he refused, requiring an officer to forcibly remove it from him.

He was advised that he was being placed under arrest for obstructing police and continued to defy further orders given by the officers.

Duty lawyer Anastasia Slater told the court her client was remorseful for his actions and apologied to the officers involved and to the court for his behaviour.

Magistrate Melanie Ho told Aukopi that his behaviour was unacceptable and the court has the power to ban him from attending the licenced premises if he reoffends.

He was ordered to serve a total of 80 hours community service over the next 12 months for the obstruct police offences and fined $500 for the remaining offences.

No conviction was recorded.

Originally published as Junior Aukamu Aukopi, 35, pleads guilty in Gatton Magistrates Court to public nuisance, contravening a police direction and obstructing police