State MP to face court in November on common assault charges
Rookie Queensland MP Les Walker will face court on November 5 after being charged with common assault following a pub altercation in July.
Mundingburra MP Les Walker has been charged with assault (Photo: ABC).
Walker was charged after an incident with a 39-year-old man at a restaurant in Townsville’s Safe Night precinct on July 30.
It’s the second time this year the first-term MP for Mundingburra has been involved in a scrap on a night out in Townsville after he was knocked out on his birthday in January.
Represented in court on Friday by barrister Harvey Walters, a mention for Mr Walker has been set for October 8 to confirm a brief of evidence, before a full day hearing at Townsville Magistrates Court in November.
Walker had previously apologised for his altercation in January and promised not to get up to anymore mischief.
He was flattened during a fight with two younger men while celebrating his 56th birthday at Townsville’s Mad Cow Tavern about 1am on January 16.
Police issued the three men with public nuisance notices and banned them from the city’s Safe Night Precinct for 10 days.
At the time Walker said he was unable to comment on what happened before he was knocked out because he can’t remember.
“I was knocked unconscious. I just can’t recall. I sustained a head injury,” he told reporters.
He also said he had learned from the incident and wouldn’t be out that late in the future.
“It won’t happen again,” he said.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk punished the first-term MP after the second incident, saying she was deeply disappointed and “angry she had to repeat this to Les.”
He was removed from his position on the transport and resources committee and from his role as a temporary Speaker in August.