Man tasered after throwing punch
AN ARGUMENT with police that escalated to violence saw Grant Stephen Cooke ordered to complete 50 hours community service and placed on nine months probation.
Police prosecutor Sergeant Trent Voight told Monday's sitting of the Proserpine Magistrates Court it was around 12.45pm on July 10 when officers saw a large group being evicted from Paddy's Shenanigans in Airlie Beach.
Cooke was asked to speak with an officers on the other side of the road, but refused.
Officers told the 26-year-old he was under arrest, but he began resisting in a "thrashing manner" and broke free.
Another officer took hold of Cooke's other arm, who continued to resist and "thrashed violently".
"After the defendant broke free from (the officer) again, he's thrown a punch at (the other officer's head)," Sgt Voight said.
The punch grazed the officer's head, "knocking his hat off". Cooke continued to resist "and police utilised the Taser".
Defence solicitor Kristie Barrett said Cooke wasn't sure why he was being arrested as he wasn't involved in the scuffle in the pub. Cooke was banned from licensed premises in the Airlie Beach Safe Night Precinct for 12 months.
