By Ian Neubauer
Licensed premises in Queensland experienced an usually high number of crimes this weekend, with robberies and violent disturbances reported at venues across the state.
The first incident took place on Saturday at a Liquorland store on Goldstone Road, Rockhampton, when a man entered the store with a knife and demanded money from an attendant before fleeing on foot.
Also in Rockhampton, three police officers were assaulted after attending a disturbance at the Victoria Tavern on Bridge Street. An 18 year-old man was charged with obstructing police and causing a public nuisance, while a 21 year-old man was charged with three counts of serious assault after allegedly head-butting a police officer.
In Brisbane, police were called to attend to a violent disturbance at Gilhooleys Tavern in the suburb of Strathpine, where they located a 32 year-old man who had been involved in the altercation. He again became violent as police escorted him from the premises and only complied after a taser was produced. He was charged with disorderly behaviour and will appear in court later this week.
On Sunday, two men entered a hotel at Scarness, Hervey Bay, and threatened a male employee with a taser gun. The offenders then bound the attendant’s hands and feet before removing cash from premises and fleeing.
Also in Queensland, a man and a woman were charged in relation to the armed robbery of the Young Australian Bottle Shop on November 1, 2006. It is alleged the man, now aged 20, entered the store and threatened the attendant with a knife before escaping with cash in a getaway car driven by the now 18 year-old woman.