Rhianon Hal Keith Ezekiel Walsh sentenced for $18k+ damage to Townsville Shopping Centre

A man now has to pay off almost $20,000 in damages after throwing a rock through a Townsville shopping centre door.

Townsville Shopping Centre.

A man who caused a string of disturbances in Townsville was arrested after he threw a rock at a shopping centre door causing more than $18,000 in damages.

Rhianon Hal Keith Ezekiel Walsh appeared in Townsville Magistrates Court by video link on Thursday morning after he was arrested for causing public nuisance and then ultimately destroyed a glass door completely that he now has to pay for.

Police prosecutor Kam Coffison said on November 10 last year the man went to Hermit Park Hotel, jumped on the counter and demanded free food before trying to get into the kitchen.

Employees from the hotel also reported he had thrown rocks at the doors.

That same day, the man was at Nathan Plaza shops where he threw a stone at the glass panel of Townsville Shopping Centre causing damage quoted at $18,298.

Additionally, he was charged with causing a public nuisance while at Townsville University Hospital as he was being violent towards the staff and had to be removed from the grounds.

His lawyer from the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island Legal Services, Nico Rump, said while his client had a “poor history” and it wasn’t “particularly serious”.

He also said the man’s offences stemmed from alcohol and drug use as police noted he had been intoxicated at the time.

“He needs assistance to address drug abuse and the best and only way to do that is rehabilitation in the community,” Mr Rump said.

Walsh pleaded guilty to 10 charges including assault police, public nuisance, wilful damage and unauthorised dealing with shop goods.

He was sentenced to eight months jail and given a parole release date of May 30 as the 33 days he spent in pre-sentence custody was declared as time already served.

Her Honour also ordered him to pay the $18,298 in restitution.

“That’s a significant amount of SPER debt but I don’t see why you shouldn’t have that,” she said.

Originally published as Rhianon Hal Keith Ezekiel Walsh sentenced for $18k+ damage to Townsville Shopping Centre