March 7, 2014

A man charged with the attempted armed robbery of the Kingaroy McDonald’s restaurant in December has been committed to the District Court for sentence.

Benjamin Roy Clarke appeared by videolink in the Kingaroy Magistrates Court on Thursday.

Police Prosecutor Sgt Wayne Bushell tendered statements by witnesses, CCTV footage, phone records and a record of interview with Clarke.

When Magistrate Mark Bucknall asked Clarke if he had anything to say, he replied “guilty”.

There was no application for bail.

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Also in Kingaroy Magistrates Court on Thursday:

A man charged with four child sex charges linked to two different complainants appeared to face committal.

He was committed for sentence in the District Court after pleading guilty to two counts of carnal knowledge and one count of indecent treatment of a child under 16.

He was committed for trial on another count of indecent treatment.

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A warrant was issued for the arrest of a woman allegedly involved in a large altercation at Murgon Police Station.

Eleven people were initially charged over the incident which occurred in October last year.

Tanya Marie Gorham failed to appear on a charge of being on a police establishment without lawful excuse.

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A man who discharged a fire extinguisher in a taxi cab was fined $400 and ordered to pay $439 compensation to Kingaroy Taxis after admitting his guilt.

Nicholas Martin Johnson did not appear in court but in a letter to the court said he had been heavily intoxicated and had no recollection about the incident.

The court was told that after  paying the fare for the cab, Johnson had depressed the trigger on a fire extinguisher in the cab, releasing white powder over the inside of the vehicle.

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A man who breached a domestic violence order by throwing his de facto partner onto a bed, punching a hole in a door and making threats was sent to jail.

Joshua Wayne Edward Bell (also known as Timms) pleaded guilty to the breach of the DVO, and also to breaching a probation order.

Bell was on probation after being found guilty of almost an identical offence in August last year.

“I couldn’t have been clearer when I sentenced you last time,” Magistrate Mark Bucknall said.

“My warning when I placed you on that probation order should have been ringing in your head.”

Bell was fined $500 for breaching the probation order, and sentenced to four months jail for the breach of the domestic violence order.

Mr Bucknall fixed a parole release date of May 5.

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A Nanango man charged with drug offences after a police operation in Kingaroy on Tuesday vehemently stressed his innocence when he appeared by telephone link from Murgon Watchhouse.

Brendon John Jackson said he would be “pleading 100 per cent not guilty”.

“It had nothing to do with me,” he said.  “I just want to get the ball rolling as quickly as possible.”

Jackson was arrested on a “return to prison” warrant and will be held in prison until the Parole Board assesses his case.

No application was made for bail.