A MOUNT Gambier man who smashed a local hotel window with a bottle of vodka after staff attempted to remove him has been ordered to complete community service.
Gary John Lindquist, 35, appeared in the Mount Gambier Magistrates Court to be sentenced for one charge of damaging a building.
The prosecution said the defendant was at a local hotel when staff noticed he was heavily intoxicated drinking a 750mL bottle of vodka inside the dining area.
When they attempted to remove the patron, he reacted angrily to the request and threw his bottle at the rear door window.
It shattered the glass and the local hotel requested $505.37 compensation from the court.
The defendant said it was a silly mistake and he was heavily drunk at the time of the incident.
“Three weeks ago I began drinking non-alcoholic beer instead of proper beer,” Lindquist said.
Magistrate Teresa Anderson said the defendant clearly had a problem with being told to leave, which was fuelled by alcohol.
The defendant said he was trying to better his life by securing a job and looking after his children.
Magistrate Teresa Anderson convicted Lindquist of the offence and ordered him to complete 45 hours of community service within three months.
She also ordered him to pay the $505.37 compensation for repair of the door window.
