Man struck with bar stool during altercation at Toowoomba pub

The 40-year-old man pleaded guilty to the bar room incident but offered no explanation for his actions.

Weapon of choice at the Wilsonton Hotel for this 40-year-old man.

As if watching a John Wayne western, Toowoomba police viewing a pub’s CCTV camera footage saw a man pick up a bar stool and smash it against another man in the bar.

Police had initially been called to a disturbance at the Wilsonton Hotel about 7.30pm where witnesses said a man had assaulted another man in the pokie room.

However, the victim had not wanted to make a complaint, police prosecutor Julia Wheaton told Toowoomba Magistrates Court.

Police then viewed the hotel’s CCTV footage which clearly showed 40-year-old Michael Troy Garland pick up a bar stool and smash it against the other man seated in the room.

When the victim fell to the ground, Garland was seen to kick him in the head region before walking off, Senior Constable Wheaton said.

The 40-year-old had criminal history but it was “dated”, she said.

Garland, who represented himself, pleaded guilty to a charge of committing a public nuisance within a licensed premises but offered no reason for his behaviour.

Asked by Magistrate Graham Lee if he wanted to say anything about the incident, Garland replied: “No, Your Honour. Just foolish”.

Mr Lee said the incident was at the more serious end of the scale of public nuisance offences.

“It’s very, very serious,” he told the defendant.

“You’re lucky the other man didn’t want to bring an assault charge.”

Garland was fined $1500.