A Penrose man who drunkenly confronted police at Warrawong McDonald's has been convicted of behaving in an offensive manner in public.
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Bailey Mitchell-Ryan, 20, crossed paths with a trio of officers who were collecting coffee about 7.10am on May 19.
According to police he looked the officers up and down, stood close and eyeballed them for up to 20 seconds. He complied with their request to move away on social distance grounds but later, when asked "do you have a problem?" and then, "really mate?", he brought an index finger to his lips, kissed it, pushed it outward and said "maggot".
He resisted police as they then physically removed him from the restaurant, calling them "maggot", "pig", "dog" and other abusive terms.
He was arrested outside and tried to smash the glass panels of the outdoor seating area with his handcuffs.
In Port Kembla Local Court on Wednesday, Mitchell-Ryan's lawyer called on Magistrate Susan McGowan not to convict him, noting it was his first time before the court and - explaining his apparant distaste for the force - that he had been stopped and searched by law enforcement up to 80 times in the past.
But the magistrate found Mitchell-Ryan had shown "no remorse at all".
"He was given a few chances to back down," she said.
He was convicted and fined $500.
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Angela Thompson
Proudly Illawarra Mercury since 2008; these days covering crime and justice issues. UOW alum. Thrilled by the chase and sobered by some of the things I see and hear when I stand still - sometimes in the same day. ang.thompson@austcommunitymedia.com.au
Proudly Illawarra Mercury since 2008; these days covering crime and justice issues. UOW alum. Thrilled by the chase and sobered by some of the things I see and hear when I stand still - sometimes in the same day. ang.thompson@austcommunitymedia.com.au
